BIRTH OF A HEALTHY FEMALE AFTER INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION OF CRYOPRESERVED HUMAN OOCYTES

Objective: To describe the first birth achieved after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of cryopreserved human oocytes. Design: Case r eport. Setting: University of Bologna Hospital, Department of Obstetri cs and Gynecology, Reproductive Endocrinology Unit, IVF and Infertilit y Center. Patient(s): One patient undergoing IVF. Intervention(s): Tra nsvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval followed by oocyte freezi ng. Artificial preparation of the endometrium with E-2 and P, oocyte t hawing, and ICSI. Result(s): Four of 12 cryopreserved oocytes survived ; using ICSI, 2 underwent normal fertilization but only 1 cleaved. One good-quality 4-cell embryo was transferred. A single gestation was co nfirmed by ultrasound at the 7th week. Amniocentesis was performed at the 16th week and demonstrated a normal female karyotype of 46,XX. Aft er a normal pregnancy, a healthy female infant was born at the 38th we ek of gestation. Conclusion(s): The combination of ICSI and oocyte cry opreservation is a new tool in assisted reproductive technology. (C) 1 997 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.