Clin Exp Reprod Med.  2023 Dec;50(4):270-276. 10.5653/cerm.2023.06030.

Clinical and laboratory factors associated with the presence of dysmorphic oocytes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles

• Kim TE
• Lee HK
• Jee BC

• KMID: 2548408
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5653/cerm.2023.06030

Abstract

Objective
This study investigated the clinical and laboratory factors associated with the presence of dysmorphic oocytes in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.
Methods
The study involved 200 ICSI cycles, performed from 2020 to 2021, that yielded at least one mature oocyte. Clinical characteristics and ovarian stimulation methods were compared between 68 cycles with at least one dysmorphic oocyte (the dysmorphic group) and 132 cycles with normal-form oocytes only (the non-dysmorphic group). Dysmorphic oocytes were characterized by dark cytoplasm, cytoplasmic granularity, cytoplasmic vacuoles, refractile bodies in the cytoplasm, smooth endoplasmic reticulum in the cytoplasm, an oval shape, an abnormal zona pellucida, a large perivitelline space, debris in the perivitelline space, or an abnormal polar body.
Results
The ages of the women, indications for in vitro fertilization, serum anti-Müllerian hormone levels, and rates of current ovarian endometrioma were similar between the dysmorphic and non-dysmorphic groups. In both groups, the three ovarian stimulation regimens, two types of pituitary suppression, and total gonadotropin dose were employed similarly. However, the dual-trigger method was used more frequently in the dysmorphic group (67.6% vs. 50%, p=0.024). The dysmorphic group contained significantly more immature oocytes and exhibited significantly lower oocyte maturity (50% vs. 66.7%, p=0.001) than the non-dysmorphic cycles. Within the dysmorphic group, significantly lower oocyte maturity was found in the cycles using a dual-trigger, but not in those with a human chorionic gonadotropin trigger.
Conclusion
ICSI cycles with dysmorphic oocytes are closely associated with reduced oocyte maturity. This association was observed exclusively in dual-trigger cycles.

Keyword

Assisted reproductive techniques; Oocyte retrieval; Intracytoplasmic sperm injections; In vitro oocyte maturation