title: Developmental competence of immature oocytes aspirated from antral follicles in patients with gynecological diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes collected from ovary has been proposed for fertility preservation. In addition, quality of oocytes post IVM is one of the factors determining its developmental competence. By using the non-invasive Polscope system, both meiotic spindle (MS) and zona pellucida (ZP) can be assessed in living oocytes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to investigate the developmental potential of immature oocytes retrieved from ovarian tissue after IVM, as a method for fertility preservation, in patients with gynecological diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ovarian cortex from 26 patients with malignant and benign diseases (21-45 years old), were obtained directly from collaborating hospitals, and transported to the IVF center on ice. In total 61 immature oocytes were aspirated, of which 18 (29.5%) were degenerated and discarded. The remaining 43 (70.5%) healthy oocytes were cultured in IVM culture media for 48 hr. The rate of maturity was assessed, and the ZP birefringence and MS were imaged with Polscope technology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall 43 immature oocytes underwent IVM technology, of which 30.2% reached viable metaphase II (MII) oocytes. The ovarian tissues of 9 (34.6%) women were lacking oocytes at any stage. During polarized light microscopy examination, MS could be visualized only in one of the MII oocytes, but high ZP birefringence's were observed in the majority of the oocytes post IVM (61.5%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Oocytes maturation post IVM from unstimulated ovaries showed a good developmental competence in gynecologic patients. Further studies should be performed to advance the oocyte maturation program, such as co-culture system, for fertility preservation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Fereshteh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Safian
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran. ; Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Khalili
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karimi-Zarchi
authors.affiliation: Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohsenzadeh
authors.affiliation: Afzalipour Clinical Center for Infertility, Afzalipour Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Sareh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ashourzadeh
authors.affiliation: Research and Clinical Center for Infertility, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Omidi
keywords: Fertility preservation; Human oocytes; IVM; Ovarian follicle