Unequal pronuclear size--a powerful predictor of embryonic chromosome anomalies.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to evaluate whether pronuclei of unequal size, observed in 13.7% of zygotes evaluated after in vitro fertilization (IVF), are predictive of chromosome anomalies in the developing embryo.


METHODS
Five ploidy of 38 embryos grown from zygotes with unequal-sized pronuclei was assessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Twenty-six embryos developed after intracytoplasmic injection of sperm (ICSI) and 12 embryos were derived from conventional IVF.


RESULTS
Chromosome anomalies were documented in the ICSI and IVF groups in 88.5 and 50% of cases, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that FISH should be employed to examine the ploidy of zygotes with unequal pronuclei, prior to embryo transfer.
Manor
D
D
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ramban Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Drugan
A
A
Stein
D
D
Pillar
M
M
Itskovitz-Eldor
J
J
D000328:Adult; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000473:pathology*; D025063:Chromosome Disorders; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology; D015053:Zygote / Q000166:cytology