Original Investigation

Influence of cumulus cell coculture and cumulus-aided embryo transfer on embryonic development and pregnancy rates

10.5152/jtgga.2010.017

  • Nalan Cihangir
  • Hüzeyin Görkemli
  • Suna Özdemir
  • Murat Aktan
  • Selçuk Duman

Received Date: 09.07.2010 Accepted Date: 12.08.2010 J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc 2010;11(3):121-126 PMID: 24591916

Objective:

In this study, we aimed to evaluate the influence of autologous cumulus oocyte complex (COC) coculture on embryonic development and quality, and investigate the implantation and pregnancy rates after cumulus-aided embryo transfer in the ICSI-ET cycles.

Material and Methods:

Ninety five consecutive infertile women undergoing their first cycle of IVF teratment were included in the study. The cases were divided into two groups. Group 1 consisted of 48 women undergoing ICSI, along with autologous cumulus embryo coculture and cumulus-aided emryo transfer. Group 2 comprised 47 consecutive patients who consented to undergo ICSI and in whom autologous cumulus embryo coculture and cumulus-aided embryo transfer were not performed. Implantation and pregnancy rates were compared between the two groups.

Results:

The demographic data and controlled ovarian hyperstimulation parameters were similar in the two groups. The fertilization and cleavage rates were found to be higher in group 1 when compared with group 2 (p=0.03 and 0.001, respectively). There were no statistical significant differences for the implantation and clinical pregnancy rates between the two groups.

Conclusion:

Usage of autologous COCs as coculture may improve fertilization and cleavage rates. However, cumulus-aided embryo transfer does not produce an increase in implantation and pregnancy rates.

Keywords: Coculture, Cumulus cells, ICSI-embryo transfer, Pregnancy rate