title: Usefulness of partial dissection of the zona pellucida in a human in-vitro fertilization programme.
abstract: The influence of partial zona dissection (PZD) on the fertilization rate was studied in 34 couples with a history of fertilization failure and/or severe sperm deficiency. Overall, PZD improved the rate of monospermic fertilization compared to controls (41/254 versus 6/111: P less than 0.001) and fertilization was achieved in 50% of cases. However, the results differed according to the seminal characteristics. In 10 couples with at least two in-vitro fertilization (IVF) trials entailing total fertilization failure and with semen defined as normal, PZD did not significantly improve the monospermic fertilization rate (6/44 in the PZD group versus 2/39 among controls). A benefit related to PZD was evident in 33 attempts with severe sperm deficiency. In this group, only four of 72 unmanipulated control oocytes were fertilized but the monospermic fertilization rate was 14.6% for PZD oocytes. The rates of polyspermy were 40% and 14.6% in the groups with normal and abnormal semen parameters respectively. Of 33 trials with defective spermatozoa, 20 reached the stage of embryo transfer and three pregnancies were obtained, of which one aborted at 9 weeks.
authors.affiliation: Fertility and IVF Unit, Van Helmont Hospital, Vilvoorde, Belgium.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vanderzwalmen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barlow
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nijs
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bertin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schoysman
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008596:Menotropins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000379:methods; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods; D013076:Sperm Count; D013081:Sperm Motility; D013084:Sperm-Ovum Interactions; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D008596:Menotropins