title: Artificial oocyte activation with calcium ionophore allowed fertilization and pregnancy in a couple with long-term unexplained infertility where the female partner had diminished EGG reserve and failure to fertilize oocytes despite intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if fertilization and embryo development and pregnancy was possible following in vitro fertilization (IVF) in a couple with long-term unexplained infertility where the female partner had diminished egg reserve and where fertilization failure occurred despite conventional oocyte insemination and intracyoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro fertilization was performed using a low-dose follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) stimulation protocol. Prior to ICSI, artificial oocyte activation with calcium ionophore was used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only one mature oocyte was retrieved but it fertilized and cleaved to a good quality 8-cell embryo on day 3. A pregnancy with fetal viability was achieved but she subsequently miscarried. A second attempt successful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fertilization and pregnancy is possible even in women with diminished egg reserve with previous failed fertilization with ICSI by performing artificial oocyte activation with calcium ionophore. It is not clear if the sperm lacked oscillin or if the eggs were not responsive to oscillin.
authors.affiliation: University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School at Camden, Cooper Hospital/University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Camden, NJ, USA. laurie@ccivf.com
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Check
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Summers-Chase
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Brasile
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy*; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011506:Proteins; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D007476:Ionophores; D011506:Proteins; C097705:oscillin; D004997:Ethinyl Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone; D002118:Calcium