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Updated: Sep 27, 2026

OP-IVM: Combining In vitro Maturation after Oocyte Retrieval with Gynecological Surgery
Published on: May 9, 2021
FSH priming improves oocyte maturation, but priming with FSH or hCG has no effect on subsequent embryonic development
Stephen M Junk1, Arun Dharmarajan, John L Yovich
1PIVET Medical Center, 166-168 Cambridge Street, Leederville, Perth 6007, Australia. pivetmc@iinet.net.au
Aim:
To determine whether maturation and subsequent blastocyst development of in vitro matured oocytes can be improved by in vivo follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) or human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) priming, using a mouse model.
Experimental Design:
Five groups of oocytes were used: in vivo control, in vitro matured (IVM) control, IVM after 24 h in vivo priming with FSH, IVM after 48 h in vivo priming with FSH and IVM after 16 h in vivo priming with hCG. In vitro fertilization (IVF) was performed on all groups. Oocyte maturation, fertilization, blastocyst development rates and blastocyst cell numbers were assessed for all groups.
Results:
Significant improvement in oocyte maturation was observed in the two FSH priming groups compared with the IVM control group (P<0.005 and P<0.001, respectively). There were no significant differences in fertilization between all five groups. Blastocyst development was significantly higher in the in vivo control compared to the IVM groups (P<0.001). No significant differences were observed in blastocyst cell numbers among all five groups.
Conclusions:
While FSH priming improves the maturation rate of IVM oocytes, FSH or hCG priming does not improve development to the blastocyst stage.
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