title: Quantitative analysis of the intensity of zona pellucida birefringence of oocytes during IVF cycles.
abstract: To determine whether the age of the female patient, oocyte maturation stage, pronuclei, embryonic quality and/or cycle outcome are related to the intensity of the zona pellucida birefringence (ZPB) in oocytes during IVF procedures, a retrospective study was conducted on 214 IVF cycles using a polarisation imaging system. A negative correlation was found between ZPB intensity and the age of female patients (r = -0.44; P < 0.0001). For oocytes at different maturation stages, the ZPB score was higher at the germinal vesicle stage (20.77 ± 1.88) than at MI (10.99 ± 1.35; P < 0.001), and higher at MI than at MII (7.91 ± 0.65; P < 0.05). For the pronuclei (PN) of fertilised oocytes, the ZPB score of oocytes with 3PN was significantly higher than that of oocytes with 1PN or 0PN (7.94 ± 0.78 v. 5.57 ± 1.51 and 4.45 ± 0.85, respectively; P < 0.001). However, there were no differences in ZPB scores between oocytes with 2PN and 3PN. Neither embryo quality on day 3 nor the clinical results could be predicted on the basis of the ZPB score (P > 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Animal Reproduction Institute, Guangxi University, Nanning 530005, China.
authors.forename: Junping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Fenghua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zhengsan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Deshun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001718:Birefringence; D002681:China; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D054315:Oocyte Retrieval; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D009866:Oogenesis; D010062:Ovulation Induction; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology*