[A cytogenetic study of human oocytes unfertilized in in-vitro fertilization (IVF)]

A total of 260 unfertilized human oocytes obtained in our IVF program were studied cytogenetically, by a gradual fixation-air drying method proposed by Mikamo and Kamiguchi (1983). The oocytes were obtained from 72 cycles of 52 patients (mean age 32.1). Indications for these patients were 26 cases of tubal factor, 13 of male infertility, 2 of endometriosis and 11 of unexplained infertility. Ovulation induction was performed by hMG-hCG administration with GnRHa pretreatment. Of the 260 unfertilized oocytes, 183 displayed metaphase II and 149 were karyotyped accurately. There were 5 diploids (3.4%), 9 structural anomalies (6.0%) and 15 aneuploids (10.1%) including 8 hyperhaploids (5.4%) and 7 hypohaploids (4.7%). One hundred and twenty-two oocytes out of 149 (81.9%) were found to be normal haploids [23,X]. In 9 aneuploids, 5 showed the loss or gain of monads (so-called predivision), while 4 showed the loss or gain of dyads (so-called nondisjunction). Twenty-three oocytes out of 149 (15.4%) had one or more split dyads. (so-called nondisjunction). Twenty-three oocytes out of 149 (15.4%) had one or more split dyads. Our results were compared with those obtained in previous studies, and the importance of the chromosome preparation method in evaluating aberration frequencies was stressed. Causal mechanisms of aneuploidy, diploidy and structural anomaly were also discussed.