title: Time-lapse monitoring of zona pellucida-free embryos obtained through in vitro fertilization: a retrospective case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report time-lapse monitoring of human oocytes in which the damaged zona pellucida was removed, producing zona-free (ZF) oocytes that were cultured until the blastocyst stage in time-lapse incubators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private infertility clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Infertile patients (n = 32) undergoing minimal ovarian stimulation or natural cycle IVF treatment between October 2012 and June 2014.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) fertilization of ZF oocytes, prolonged embryo culture in time-lapse incubators, elective vitrification, and subsequent single vitrified-thawed blastocyst transfer (SVBT).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rate of fertilization, cleavage and blastocyst development, live-birth rate per SVBT cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In spite of advanced maternal age (39 ± 4.2; range, 30-46 years), good fertilization (94%), cleavage (94%), and blastocyst development rates (38%) were reached after fertilization and culturing of ZF oocytes/embryos. All thawed ZF blastocysts survived, and up to this date seven SVBT transfers were performed, yielding three (43%) term live births with healthy newborns.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Time-lapse imagery gives a unique insight into the dynamics of embryo development in ZF embryos. Moreover, our case series demonstrate that an oocyte with a damaged zona pellucida that has been removed could be successfully fertilized with ICSI, cultured until blastocyst stage in a time-lapse incubator and vitrified electively for subsequent use.
authors.affiliation: Kobe Motomachi Yume Clinic, Kobe, Japan. Electronic address: bodridaniel@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bodri
authors.affiliation: Kobe Motomachi Yume Clinic, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryutaro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.affiliation: Kobe Motomachi Yume Clinic, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Masae
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.affiliation: Kobe Motomachi Yume Clinic, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hosomi
authors.affiliation: Kobe Motomachi Yume Clinic, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Katsumata
authors.affiliation: Kobe Motomachi Yume Clinic, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kawachiya
authors.affiliation: Kobe Motomachi Yume Clinic, Kobe, Japan.
authors.forename: Tsunekazu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D050498:Live Birth; D008875:Middle Aged; D009865:Oocytes / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D013997:Time Factors; D059008:Time-Lapse Imaging; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D058989:Vitrification; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Time-lapse monitoring; blastocyst culture; in vitro fertilization; minimal ovarian stimulation; zona pellucida