Relationship between granular cytoplasm of oocytes and pregnancy outcome following intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Couples undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for male inferti lity using oocytes with centrally located granular cytoplasm (CLCG) were ev aluated for fertilization, embryo development, implantation and pregnancy r ate. CLCG is a rare morphological feature of the oocyte, that is diagnosed as a larger, dark, spongy granular area in the cytoplasm, Severity is based on both the diameter of granular area and the depth of the lesion. Twenty- seven couples with 39 cycles presenting CLCG in >50% of retrieved oocytes m ere evaluated. A total of 489 oocytes was retrieved, out of which 392 were at MII. CLCG was observed in 258 of the MII oocytes (65.8%); 66.7% of these oocytes had slight and 33.3% had severe CLCG, The overall fertilization ra te was 72.2% and no statistical significant difference was found between no rmal and CLCG; oocytes and between the oocytes representing slight and seve re CLCG, The development and quality of embryos was the same in normal and CLCG oocytes, In nine cycles, preimplantation genetic diagnosis was execute d to evaluate a possible accompanying chromosomal abnormality. Out of 44 bl astomeres biopsied, 23 had chromosomal abnormality (52.3%). Eleven pregnanc ies were achieved in 39 cycles (28.2%), six pregnancies resulted in abortio n (54.5%). The implantation rate was found to be 4.2%. Only five ongoing pr egnancies were achieved in 39 cycles (12.8%). Couples with CLCG oocytes sho uld be informed about poor ongoing pregnancy rates even if fertilization, e mbryo quality and total pregnancy rates are normal. Furthermore, a high ane uploidy rate may be linked to a high abortion rate.