Chromosome constitution in embryos generated after in vitro maturation in a culture system supplemented with cAMP modulators

Ten volunteers underwent 13 research IVM cycles. Immature oocytes were retrieved after mild ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins but no hCG ovulation trigger, in vitro matured and fertilized using ICSI. Oocyte maturation rate in vitro was 47% (94/199), the mean fertilization rate was 71% (67/94) and 37% (25/67) of mature oocytes developed into a morphologically good quality embryo on day 3 after ICSI, after which the blastomeres were analysed by single-cell aCGH. Sixty-seven of the 111 blastomeres analysed showed at least one chromosomal abnormality. Two out of seventeen embryos had only normal cells while one embryo carried a meiotic abnormality, 11 were mosaic and three were chaotic. Although the number of embryos tested as well as the data available in the literature are too small to allow any statistical analysis, these data are comparable to the few data available on the total chromosome complement of day 3 ICSI embryos. This would indicate that other mechanisms than chromosomal abnormalities explain the low efficiency and high miscarriage rate in IVM cycles. Between July 2012 and December 2012, 13 research IVM cycles were performed in 10 healthy egg donors. Eighteen embryos developed to the eight-cell stage and their blastomeres were analysed using array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH).