[Conventional IVF versus ICSI in sibling oocytes: a French experience analysis for BLEFCO]

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Embryology

Background:

• Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) aim to improve fertility outcomes.
• Conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are established ART methods.
• Mid-IVF/ICSI involves treating sibling oocytes with both conventional IVF and ICSI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of the mid-IVF/ICSI technique in improving fertilization and pregnancy rates.
• To compare fertilization rates between conventional IVF and ICSI within the mid-IVF/ICSI approach.
• To assess the impact of mid-IVF/ICSI on overall fertilization failure rates.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 487 mid-IVF/ICSI attempts across six French ART centers.
• Comparison of fertilization rates between micro-injected oocytes (ICSI) and conventionally inseminated oocytes (IVF).
• Evaluation of overall pregnancy rates and fertilization failure rates before and after implementing mid-IVF/ICSI.

Main Results:

• The fertilization rate for micro-injected oocytes (72.6%) was significantly higher than for conventionally inseminated oocytes (53.4%).
• Mid-IVF/ICSI was performed in 5.6% of cases, with fertilization achieved in both batches in 75.2% of attempts.
• Overall pregnancy rates improved (33.1% vs. 28.9%), and fertilization failures decreased (10.4% vs. 14.3%) with the adoption of mid-IVF/ICSI.

Conclusions:

• Mid-IVF/ICSI significantly enhances fertilization rates compared to conventional IVF.
• The technique effectively reduces complete fertilization failures, improving overall ART success.
• Further clarification of indications for mid-IVF/ICSI, particularly for male and idiopathic infertility, is warranted.