CHROMOSOME-ABNORMALITIES IN EMBRYOS OBTAINED AFTER CONVENTIONAL IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND INTRACYTOPLASMIC SPERM INJECTION

Objective: To compare the rate of numerical chromosome abnormalities i n embryos derived from bipronucleated zygotes produced by intracytopla smic sperm injection (ICSI) and conventional IVF. Design: Embryos were classified by maternal age and morphological and developmental charac teristics to avoid bias when comparing chromosome abnormalities in ICS I and IVF embryos. Setting: The Institute for Reproductive Medicine an d Science of Saint Barnabas Medical Center, West Orange, New Jersey. P atient(s): Seventy-nine couples undergoing IVF and 53 couples undergoi ng ICSI. Intervention(s): Embryos donated for research were fully biop sied, and their cells were analyzed by fluorescence in situ hybridizat ion with specific probes for chromosomes X, Y, 13, 18, and 21 and some with also a probe for chromosome 16. Main Outcome Measure(s): Embryo chromosome abnormalities. Result(s): A total of 245 embryos obtained t hrough conventional NF and 136 embryos obtained through ICSI were anal yzed. There were no statistical differences between the rates of numer ical chromosomal abnormalities detected in the IVF (61%) and ICSI(52%) embryos analyzed. Regarding gonosomal aneuploidy, the same rate was f ound in both ICSI (1%) and IVF groups (2%). Conclusion(s): If the pare nts are chromosomally normal, the results indicate that, at the embryo level and before any embryo selection has occurred in utero, ICSI doe s not produce more numerical chromosomal abnormalities than convention al IVF. (C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.