Mouse blastocyst vitrification compared with the conventional slow-freezing method.

To compare mouse blastocyst survival after cryopreservation with vitrification and the slow-freezing method, one-hundred and forty-eight in vitro mouse blastocysts were randomly frozen by the two methods: vitrification and conventional slow-freezing. After being thawed, the blastocysts were assessed for survival and hatching rate. The survival rates of blastocysts cryopreserved by vitrification and slow-freezing were 68.33 and 65.52 per cent (p = 0.89), whereas hatching rates were 51.22 and 44.74 per cent, respectively (p = 0.64). Therefore, vitrification of blastocyst-stage-embryos may be a useful, economic method for freezing the excess blastocysts in some centers where blastocysts are routinely transferred.

Correlation between human follicular diameter and oocyte recovery, metaphase II oocytes and fertilization rate in intracytoplasmic sperm injection programs.

This prospective study was undertaken to establish the correlation between the follicular diameter, oocyte recovery, metaphase II (MII) oocyte, and fertilization rate in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) programs. Thirty one patients undergoing 31 ICSI cycles from August 1998 to January 1999 at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital were studied. The patients were stimulated with either short or long GnRHa portocol. During transvaginal aspiration of follicles, follicular diameters were measured. The maturation stage of oocytes and fertilization rate were evaluated. Four hundred and seventy eight follicles were measured and classified into 3 groups, group A (<10 mm), group B (10-14 mm) and group C (>14 mm). The oocyte recovery rate and MII oocytes were different between groups A, B, and C but the fertilization rate was not different. In conclusion, the follicular diameter correlated with oocyte recovery and oocyte maturation but not with the fertilization rate in ICSI programs. The quality of embryos was lower in oocytes from small follicles.

Effects of contaminated endometriotic contents on quality of oocytes.

The mechanism of infertility associated with endometriosis is poorly understood. There is evidence supporting that women with ovarian endometriosis have a lower pregnancy rate than women with peritoneal lesions only. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of endometriotic contents contamination while retrieving oocytes on oocytes' quality. Thirty-eight infertile patients with endometriotic cysts from January 1993 to June 2000 were enrolled in this study. There were no statistically significant differences among the quality of oocytes and embryos from the contaminated, non-contaminated, and control group. However, the fertilization rate and pregnancy rate were impaired by the contamination of endometriotic contents. We conclude that ovarian endometriosis should be treated before starting in vitro fertilization program in order to increase the pregnancy outcome.

The role of maternal serum C-reactive protein and white blood cell count in the prediction of chorioamnionitis in women with premature rupture of membranes.

This study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of maternal serum C-reactive protein, maternal white blood cell (WBC), and neutrophil counts in the detection of histologic chorioamnionitis. One hundred and twenty six pregnant women after at least 28 weeks of gestation with premature rupture of membranes (PROM) were studied. Blood samples for C-reactive protein, WBC and neutrophil counts were taken at delivery. Placental histology was evaluated for histologic chorioamnionitis. Maternal and neonatal complications were observed. Among women with and without histologic chorioamnionitis, the maternal WBC and neutrophil counts were different (P<0.05) but the maternal serum C-reactive protein was not. Cutoff values for C-reactive protein, WBC, and neutrophil counts were 0.5 mg/dL, 15,000 cell/mm3, and 80 per cent, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity were 56 per cent and 58 per cent for C-reactive protein, 60 per cent and 63 per cent for WBC count, and 62 per cent and 54 per cent for neutrophil count, respectively. In conclusion, the maternal serum C-reactive protein, WBC, and neutrophil counts have poor diagnostic performance for histologic chorioamnionitis.