title: Live birth after artificial oocyte activation using a ready-to-use ionophore: a prospective multicentre study.
abstract: Artificial oocyte activation has been proposed as a suitable means to overcome the problem of failed or impaired fertilization after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In a multicentre setting artificial oocyte activation was applied to 101 patients who were diagnosed with fertilization abnormalities (e.g. less than 50% fertilized oocytes) in a previous conventional ICSI cycle. Female gametes were activated for 15 min immediately after ICSI using a ready-to-use Ca(2+)-ionophore solution (A23187). Fertilization, pregnancy and live birth rates were compared with the preceding cycle without activation. The fertilization rate of 48% in the study cycles was significantly higher compared with the 25% in the control cycles (P < 0.001). Further splitting of the historical control group into failed (0%), low (1-30%) and moderate fertilization rate (31-50%) showed that all groups significantly benefitted (P < 0.001) in the ionophore cycle. Fewer patients had their embryo transfer cancelled compared with their previous treatments (1/101 versus 15/101). In total, 99% of the patients had an improved outcome with A23187 application resulting in a 28% live birth rate (35 babies). These data suggest that artificial oocyte activation using a ready-to-use compound is an efficient method.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology und Kinderwunsch Zentrum, Landes- Frauen- und Kinderklinik, Linz, Austria. Electronic address: Thomas.ebner@gespag.at.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montag
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Montag
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Van der Ven
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Van der Ven
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Kinderwunsch Zentrum, Landes- Frauen- und Kinderklinik, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Kinderwunsch Zentrum, Landes- Frauen- und Kinderklinik, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shebl
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecological Endocrinology and Kinderwunsch Zentrum, Landes- Frauen- und Kinderklinik, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oppelt
authors.affiliation: UniKid, Heinrich-Heine Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hirchenhain
authors.affiliation: UniKid, Heinrich-Heine Universität, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krüssel
authors.affiliation: Green-IVF, Grevenbroicher Endokrinologie and IVF Zentrum, Grevenbroich, Germany.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Maxrath
authors.affiliation: Green-IVF, Grevenbroicher Endokrinologie and IVF Zentrum, Grevenbroich, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gnoth
authors.affiliation: Green-IVF, Grevenbroicher Endokrinologie and IVF Zentrum, Grevenbroich, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Friol
authors.affiliation: Green-IVF, Grevenbroicher Endokrinologie and IVF Zentrum, Grevenbroich, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tigges
authors.affiliation: Institut für Gynäkologische Endokrinologie und Repoduktionsmedizin, Remscheid, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wünsch
authors.affiliation: Institut für Gynäkologische Endokrinologie und Repoduktionsmedizin, Remscheid, Germany.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luckhaus
authors.affiliation: Institut für Gynäkologische Endokrinologie und Repoduktionsmedizin, Remscheid, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Beerkotte
authors.affiliation: Ittertalklinik, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Ittertalklinik, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Grunwald
authors.affiliation: Kinderwunschpraxis Bedburg, Bedburg/Erft, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Struller
authors.affiliation: Kinderwunschpraxis Bedburg, Bedburg/Erft, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Etien
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007476:Ionophores; D050498:Live Birth; D008297:Male; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011446:Prospective Studies; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D019233:Retreatment; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007476:Ionophores
keywords: activation failure; calcium; fertilization; ionophore A23187; oocyte; sperm