[Cytogenetic study of fragmented embryos not transferred in in vitro fertilization]

A cytogenetic analysis was performed on a sample of 411 human grade IV embryos (i.e. poor morphological quality embryos, never transferred in our in vitro fertilization (IVF) pro Gram) in order to investigate the chromosomal status of these embryos. One hundred eighteen were successfully karyotyped from at least one metaphase. Only 10% displayed normal diploid metaphases. Aneuploidy was the most frequently observed abnormality, with a rate of 36.4%. Six cases of single chromatids were noted and 9 embryos showed structural aberrations. Polyploidy (from 3n to 7n) and haploidy were also observed, suggesting parthenogenetic activation, polyspermy or chromosomal duplication. Mosaicism constituted 6% of the abnormalities. Thirty embryos exhibited fragmented chromosome sets which might result from in vitro delayed fertilization.