title: How does closed system vitrification of human oocytes affect the clinical outcome? A prospective, observational, cohort, noninferiority trial in an oocyte donation program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether is possible to vitrify oocytes in an aseptic (hermetically closed) fashion and maintain clinical results comparable with those of fresh oocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, observational, cohort, noninferiority trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private in vitro fertilization center.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred eighty-four recipients of donated vitrified oocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Closed system vitrification.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pregnancy rate per cycle and clinical pregnancy rate per cycle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences were observed between two groups regarding the pregnancy rate per cycle (63.1% vs. 60.9%) or the clinical pregnancy rate per cycle (55.4% vs. 58.7%). Biochemical pregnancy rate was statistically significantly higher in the fresh group (7.6% vs. 2.2%). The mean number of embryos transferred was similar (2.0 ± 0.0 vs. 1.97 ± 0.3). Concerning embryologic data, there were no statistically significant differences regarding the fertilization, cleavage, top quality day-3 embryo, or blastocyst rates, whereas the top quality blastocyst rate on day 5 was statistically significantly higher in the fresh oocyte group (31.7% vs. 26.1%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Aseptically (in a closed system) vitrified oocytes show similar clinical efficiency compared with their sibling fresh oocytes.
authors.affiliation: IAKENTRO Advanced Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece; Center for Reproductive Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece. Electronic address: achilleas@iakentro.gr.
authors.forename: Achilleas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papatheodorou
authors.affiliation: IVF Centers Prof Zech, Bregenz, Austria; Chirec, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vanderzwalmen
authors.affiliation: IAKENTRO Advanced Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Panagiotidis
authors.affiliation: IAKENTRO Advanced Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece; 3rd Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Petousis
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gullo
authors.affiliation: IAKENTRO Advanced Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kasapi
authors.affiliation: IAKENTRO Advanced Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goudakou
authors.affiliation: IAKENTRO Advanced Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Nikos
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Prapas
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Kostas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zikopoulos
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece.
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Georgiou
authors.affiliation: IAKENTRO Advanced Medical Center, Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Prapas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001207:Asepsis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D050498:Live Birth; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018587:Oocyte Donation; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014021:Tissue Preservation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D058989:Vitrification
keywords: Aseptic technique; closed system vitrification; egg donor bank; oocyte donation; oocyte vitrification