%0 Journal Article
%T Time-lapse monitoring of zona pellucida-free embryos obtained through in vitro fertilization: a retrospective case series.
%A Bodri D
%A Kato R
%A Kondo M
%A Hosomi N
%A Katsumata Y
%A Kawachiya S
%A Matsumoto T
%J Fertil Steril
%V 103
%N 5
%D May 2015
%M 25772774
%F 7.49
%R 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.02.016
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>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.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Retrospective case series.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Private infertility clinic.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Infertile patients (n = 32) undergoing minimal ovarian stimulation or natural cycle IVF treatment between October 2012 and June 2014.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>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).<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Rate of fertilization, cleavage and blastocyst development, live-birth rate per SVBT cycle.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>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.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>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.