Prolonged absence of meiotic spindles by birefringence imaging negatively affects normal fertilization and embryo development

Meiotic spindle (MS) assembly in human oocytes is a dynamic process that can be visualized by computer-assisted microscopy. At extrusion of the first polar body a spindle bridge is detected until the completion of telophase I and its reformation requires approximately 1 h. This study analysed 396 oocytes from 112 cycles for fertilization and cleavage according to MS detection at two examinations, 39 and 41 h post-human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG). All cycles had at least one injected oocyte lacking a visible MS at intracytoplasmic sperm injection (41 h post-HCG). To evaluate the results, oocytes were divided according to the presence (group A) or absence at both observations (group B) of the MS. Compared with group A, group B oocytes had lower normal fertilization rates, higher incidence of three pronuclei and two pronuclei in early dissolution and lower development to blastocyst. Some group A oocytes showed a late MS formation (not visualized at 39 h but at 41 h) and their performance was similar to that of the oocytes with a MS visible at both time points. Although some implantations occurred in group B, these findings suggest that prolonged MS non-detection could be a marker of reduced oocyte competence. (C) 2011, Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.