title: Cryotop vitrification of human oocytes results in high survival rate and healthy deliveries.
abstract: Vitrification, an ultra-rapid cooling technique, offers a new perspective in attempts to develop an optimal cryopreservation procedure for human oocytes and embryos. To further evaluate this method for human oocytes, 796 mature oocytes (metaphase II) were collected from 120 volunteers. Since Italian legislation allows the fertilization of a maximum of only three oocytes per woman, there were 463 supernumerary oocytes; instead of being discarded, they were vitrified. When, in subsequent cycles, these oocytes were utilized, 328 out of 330 (99.4%) oocytes survived the warming procedure. The fertilization rate, pregnancy rate and implantation rate per embryo were 92.9, 32.5 and 13.2% respectively. Thus, as already reported in the literature, the vitrification procedure seems to be highly effective, safe (since healthy babies have been born) and easy to apply. In situations where embryo cryopreservation is not permitted (as in Italy), there is now good indication for routine application of the method, once further standardization is achieved.
authors.affiliation: International Associated Research Institute for Human Reproduction Infertility Unit Day Hospital, Via Timavo No.2, Rome, Italy. monica_antinori@hotmail.it
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Antinori
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Licata
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dani
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cerusico
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Versaci
authors.forename: Severino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Antinori
mesh_terms: D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D006801:Humans; D009865:Oocytes; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate