EMBRYO CLEAVAGE RATES AFTER OOCYTE INSEMINATION WITH CAPACITATED SPERMS IN THE PRESENCE OR ABSENCE OF FOLLICULAR-FLUID

The objective of the present study was to compare the rate of embryo c leavage after oocyte insemination with capacitated spermatozoa in the presence or absence of follicular fluid. In the first experiment, a to tal of 67 oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa which had been sub mitted to part of the capacitation procedures in the presence of folli cular fluid (21 oocytes) and with spermatozoa capacitated only with Me nezo B2 culture medium (46 oocytes). Thirteen and 29 cleaved embryos w ere obtained, respectively (p = 0.89). In the second experiment, a tot al of 61 oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa submitted to the en tire capacitation procedure in follicular fluid (17 oocytes) and capac itated only with Menezo B2 cultue medium (44 oocytes). Eleven and 31 c leaved embryos were obtained, respectively (p = 0.67). The absence of significant differences in cleavage rate between the two experiments i ndicates that the quality of the spermatozoa capacitation process is n ot changed by the addition of follicular fluid.