Multiparameter analysis of human oocytes at metaphase II stage after IVF failure in non-male infertility

BACKGROUND: Using fluorescence imaging, an a posteriori multiparametric analysis was performed of human oocytes which failed to give pronucleated zygotes after IVF in cases of very low rates of fertilization or complete fertilization failure. METHODS: The analysis included: (i) the state of the maternal and paternal chromatin; (ii) quality of the metaphase II oocytes; and (iii) cortical granule (CG) distribution. RESULTS: Most oocytes were arrested in metaphase II, but they were abnormal in 50% of cases. The incidence of spindle and chromosome aberrations was strongly influenced by maternal age (69% for 40- to 45-year-old women versus 35% for 26- to 33-year-olds), and sperm chromatin was always condensed in immature oocytes, and fully decondensed only in normal metaphase II. The migration of CGs appeared to be associated with achievement of nuclear maturation at the time of puncture. CONCLUSIONS: These factors, when analysed on a complete set of oocytes from the same patient, provided information about potential causes of IVF failure, and also represented part of an 'oocyte quality evaluation' to select the assisted fertilization technique most suitable for each patient. For example, when the majority of oocytes were judged non-fertilizable at a first attempt, no pregnancy was registered at any subsequent attempt.