Embryonic Developmental Capacity and Pregnancy Rates of Fertilized Oocytes in IVF, ICSI and TESE-ICSI Cycles

Park, Kee Sang; Park, Yoon Kyu; Song, Hai Bum; Lee, Taek Hoo; Chun, Sang Sik

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
This study was performed to evaluate and compare the embryonic developmental capacity and pregnancy rates in conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with ejaculated sperm or testicular sperm cycles.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fertilization was examined in the following morning after IVF (group I), ICSI (group II) or TESE-ICSI cycles (group III). Fertilized oocytes were co-cultured with Vero cells until embryo transfer (ET). On day 2 and 5~7, grades of embryos (<4- or > or =4-cell) and blastocysts (BG1, 2, 3 or early) were evaluated. Clinical pregnancy rate was determined by detecting G-sac with transvaginal ultrasonogram. We analyzed the results bychi2 and Student's t-test and considered statistically significant when P value was less than 0.05.
RESULTS
Fertilization rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) in group I (79.0+/-21.2%) than in group II and III (56.8+/-21.6% and 36.7+/-25.3%). Cleavage and blastulation rate of group I (95.8+/-13.8% and 59.5+/-25.3%) were significantly higher (p<0.05) than those of group III (83.4+/-18.6% and 40.4+/- 36.5%). Clinical pregnancy rate was significantly higher (p<0.05) in group I and II (40.7% and 41.7%) than that in group III (12.5%). No differences were found in the rates of multiple pregnancy and abortion among three groups. Embryonic implantation rate was higher in group I (15.1+/-20.2%, p<0.05) and II (14.7+/-20.6%, NS) than that in group III (5.1+/-15.6%). However, embryonic implantation rate was increased in ET with blastocyst(s) among three groups.
CONCLUSIONS
Fertilized oocytes obtained from TESE-ICSI were harder to be successfully cultured to blastocyst stage for 5~7 days than that from IVF cycles. However, all blastocyst(s) ET increased the embryonic implantation rate equally in IVF, ICSI and TESE-ICSI cycles.