title: Morphology and clinical outcomes of embryos after in vitro fertilization are superior to those after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare embryos obtained after IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) regarding morphology and the likelihood of achieving clinical pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  An IVF unit controlling 1,310 cycles in 1996.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women having a total of 477 IVF and 475 ICSI consecutive cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ovarian stimulation, IVF-ET, or ICSI-ET for all couples.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of grade-A embryos transferred, preclinical pregnancy losses, and clinical pregnancy rates in IVF and ICSI cycles.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with the ICSI group, the IVF group showed significantly more grade-A embryos available for transfer (mean, 2 +/- 1.6 versus 1.8 +/- 1.5), significantly fewer preclinical pregnancy losses (1.6% versus 4%), and significantly higher clinical pregnancy rates (25% versus 19.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Embryos obtained after IVF are superior to those obtained after ICSI in relation to embryo morphology and the likelihood of achieving clinical pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Rabin Medical Center (Golda Campus), Petah-Tikva, Israel.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bar-Hava
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ashkenazi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shelef
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brengauz
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feldberg
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Orvieto
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ben-Rafael
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003593:Cytoplasm; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D008846:Micromanipulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D013094:Spermatozoa