Spindle observation aids decision-making for early rescue ICSI.
Yang Gao1,2, Jiahong Zhu3,4, Shun Xiong3,4
1Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women and Children's Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. 451420780@qq.com.
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
|April 8, 2025
Summary
Polarized light microscopy (PLM) helps identify viable oocytes for early rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection (R-ICSI), improving fertilization rates, especially in women over 35.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive biology
- In vitro fertilization technologies
Background:
- Early identification of unfertilized oocytes is crucial for optimizing assisted reproductive technologies.
- Rescue intracytoplasmic sperm injection (R-ICSI) offers a method to fertilize oocytes that fail conventional insemination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of polarized light microscopy (PLM) in identifying oocytes suitable for early R-ICSI.
- To assess the impact of spindle visualization on fertilization and embryo development outcomes.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective cohort study involving 332 early R-ICSI cycles.
- Comparison of fertilization rates, embryo development, and clinical outcomes between groups with and without spindle observation via PLM.
- Subgroup analysis for women over 35 years old.
Main Results:
- The PLM group showed significantly higher normal fertilization rates (82.55% vs. 71.49%) and lower tripronucleation rates (3.17% vs. 8.89%) after R-ICSI.
- Oocytes without visible spindles (PLM group) or with fragmented polar bodies (control group) undergoing IVF had better fertilization in the PLM group (53.37% vs. 36.43%).
- In women over 35, the normal cleavage rate was significantly higher in the spindle examination group (38.60% vs. 22.47%).
Conclusions:
- PLM-assisted spindle observation effectively identifies oocytes for early R-ICSI, enhancing fertilization outcomes.
- This technique optimizes embryo development, particularly beneficial for women over 35 undergoing R-ICSI.
