title: Prediction of the rates of fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy success by cumulus-coronal morphology in an in vitro fertilization program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the relation between the grading of cumulus-coronal morphology at oocyte retrieval and the rates of fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy success in IVF-ET cycles.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infertile women who underwent IVF-ET treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fertilization and cleavage of the oocytes and the pregnancy outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mature grade 3 cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) constituted the highest percentage among all grades and had a higher fertilization rate than COCs of other grades (77% versus 65%, 43%, and 28% for grades 2, 1, and 4, respectively). The cleavage and polyspermy rates did not correlate with cumulus-coronal morphology grading. The pregnancy rate was higher in cycles with >50% grade 3 COCs than in cycles with < or =50% grade 3 COCs (32% versus 16%). In cycles with >80% grade 3 COCs, the pregnancy rate was 57%. The correlation between the percentage of grade 3 COCs and the pregnancy rate was independent of patient age and the number of COCs retrieved.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The cumulus-coronal morphology grade correlates with the fertilization rate but not with the cleavage or polyspermy rate. In vitro fertilization cycles that have a greater percentage of grade 3 COCs have an increased chance of resulting in pregnancy. The cumulus-coronal morphology grade predicts pregnancy success in IVF-ET cycles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California-Los Angeles School of Medicine, 90095-1740, USA.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: T H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000628:therapy*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010053:Ovary / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D012189:Retrospective Studies