Open AccessDoes a Large (>24 mm) Follicle Yield a Competent Oocyte/Embryo?
Author(s) -
Raoul Orvieto,
Aya Mohr–Sasson,
Shlomit Blumenfeld,
Ravit Nahum,
Adva Aizer,
Jigal Haas
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
gynecologic and obstetric investigation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.631
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1423-002X
pISSN - 0378-7346
DOI - 10.1159/000510876
Subject(s) - oocyte , follicle , follicular phase , andrology , human fertilization , embryo , ovarian follicle , embryo quality , biology , medicine , endocrinology , anatomy , genetics
Aim: To evaluate the effect of large follicular size (≥24 mm) at day of oocyte retrieval on oocyte/embryo quality. Patients and Methods: A cohort study was conducted in a single tertiary medical center between July 2018 and May 2019. Before ultrasound-guided follicular aspiration, follicles were measured and divided into 2 groups according to their maximal dimensional size: large: ≥24 mm and normal: <24 mm. Microscopic examination of the follicular aspirates was performed by an embryologist. Each follicle aspirated was evaluated for oocyte maturation, oocyte fertilization, and embryo quality. Results: 428 follicles were measured, including 383 (62.81%) in the normal and 45 (14.06%) in the large follicle groups. Oocytes were achieved during aspiration from 297 (75.5%) and 29 (64.4%) of the normal and large follicle groups, respectively ( p = 0.05). No in-between group differences were observed in mature oocyte (MII), fertilization, and top-quality embryo (TQE) rates. Nevertheless, once a zygote (2PN) was achieved, a trend toward a higher TQE rate/2PN was found in the large follicle group (16/19 [84.2%] vs. 115/171 [67.3%]; p = 0.062). Conclusion: While a nonsignificant decrease in oocyte recovery rate was found in follicles ≥24 mm, the zygote and TQE per follicle were comparable.