Live births after vitrification of oocytes in a stimulated in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer program.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the usefulness of the vitrification method in clinical practice.


METHODS
Clinical study of vitrification of human oocytes.


METHODS
A university-affiliated hospital.


METHODS
Thirty-four patients who agreed to undergo additional IVF-ET after the failed fresh cycle using the previously vitrified/thawed oocytes.


METHODS
Surplus oocytes from the IVF-ET patients were vitrified for the next cycle.


METHODS
Morphologic normality of post-thawed oocytes, fertilization, cleavage, pregnancy, and implantation rate.


RESULTS
Overall morphological survival and fertilization rates of vitrified/liquefied oocytes were 68.6% (325/474) and 71.7% (142/198), respectively. Pregnancy rate and implantation rate per embryo transfer were 21.4% (6/28) and 6.4% (8/125), respectively. All pregnancies resulted in the delivery of healthy babies (1 twin and 5 singletons/6 pregnancies).


CONCLUSIONS
The feasibility of the vitrification method for human oocytes was confirmed by our clinical results. Subsequent studies on vitrification and thawing procedures should be undertaken for further optimizing the vitrification method.
Yoon
Tae Ki
TK
College of Medicine, Pochon CHA University and Infertility Medical Center of CHA General Hospital, Seoul, South Korea. tkyoon@cha.ac.kr
Kim
Thomas J
TJ
Park
Sung Eun
SE
Hong
Seung Wook
SW
Ko
Jung Jae
JJ
Chung
Hyung Min
HM
Cha
Kwang Yul
KY
D000328:Adult; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009865:Oocytes; D011247:Pregnancy; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic