Autogenous transfer of intracytoplasmic sperm injection-produced equine embryos into the uterus of the oocyte donor during the same oestrous cycle

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (12) ◽  
pp. 1912
Author(s):  
J. B. Rossini ◽  
J. Rodriguez ◽  
D. R. Bresnahan ◽  
J. E. Stokes ◽  
E. M. Carnevale

The clinical use of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in horses usually involves the transfer of embryos into recipient mares, resulting in substantial cost increases. This is essential when subfertile mares are oocyte donors; but some donors are fertile, with ICSI compensating for limited or poor-quality spermatozoa. Fertile oocyte donors could carry pregnancies, eliminating the need for a recipient. We assessed the potential of using oocyte donors as recipients for their own ICSI-produced embryos during the same cycle. Donors in oestrus and with large dominant follicles were administered ovulation-inducing compounds to cause follicle and oocyte maturation. Maturing oocytes were collected, cultured and fertilised using ICSI. At 6 or 7 days after ICSI, developing blastocysts were transferred into respective donors’ uteri, and pregnancy rates were determined. Twenty follicles were aspirated from nine mares and 12 oocytes were collected. After ICSI, 10 of the 12 oocytes (83%) cleaved, and eight (67% of injected oocytes) developed into blastocysts for transfer. Five pregnancies resulted from the eight transferred embryos (pregnancy rate 62% per embryo and 42% per sperm-injected oocyte). Following this synchronisation regime, ICSI-produced embryos can be transferred into oocyte donors’ uteri during the same cycle, allowing donors to carry pregnancies after assisted fertilisation.

1995 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 281 ◽  
Author(s):  
SJ Silber ◽  
P Devroey ◽  
H Tournaye ◽  
Steirteghem AC Van

For men with uncorrectable obstructive azoospermia, their only hope of fathering a child is microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration (MESA) combined with in vitro fertilization (IVF). In 1988, proximal epididymal sperm were demonstrated to have better motility than senescent sperm in the distal epididymis, and it was thought that retrieval of motile sperm from the proximal epididymis would yield reliable fertilization and pregnancy rates after conventional IVF. However, the results to date have been poor, and although a minority of patients achieved good fertilization rates with IVF, the vast majority (81%) had consistently poor or no fertilization and the pregnancy rate averaged only 9%. Recently, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been successfully used to achieve fertilization and pregnancies for patients with extreme oligoasthenozoospermia. ICSI has therefore been applied to cases of obstructive azoospermia and, in this report, 67 MESA-IVF cases are compared with 72 MESA-ICSI cases. The principle that motile sperm from the proximal segments of the epididymis should be used for ICSI was followed, although in the most severe cases in which there was an absence of the epididymis (or absence of sperm in the epididymis), testicular sperm were obtained from macerated testicular biopsies. These sperm only exhibited a weak, twitching motion. In 72 consecutive MESA cases, ICSI resulted in fertilization and normal embryos for transfer in 90% of the cases, with an overall fertilization rate of 46%, a cleavage rate of 68%, and ongoing or delivered pregnancy rates of 46% per transfer and 42% per cycle. The pregnancy and take-home baby rates increased from 9% and 4.5% with IVF to 53% and 42% with ICSI. There were no differences between the results for fresh epididymal, frozen epididymal or testicular sperm, and the number of eggs collected did not affect the outcome. The results were also unaffected by the aetiology of the obstruction such as congenital absence of the vas deferens or failed vasoepididymostomy. The only significant factor which affected the pregnancy rate was female age. It is concluded that although complex mechanisms involving epididymal transport may be beneficial for conventional fertilization of human oocytes (in vivo or in vitro), none of these mechanisms are required for fertilization after ICSI. Given the excellent results with epididymal and testicular sperm, ICSI is obligatory for all future MESA patients. Finally, the use of ICSI with testicular sperm from men with non-obstructive azoospermia is also discussed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Olga Tepla ◽  
Zinovij Topurko ◽  
Jaromir Masata ◽  
Simona Jirsová ◽  
Martina Moosova ◽  
...  

Abstract This research demonstrates how a mutual position of the human oocytes meiotic spindle (MS) and the first polar body (PB) correlates with the probability of obtaining high-quality embryos (utilization rates) and high pregnancy rates after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The quality of optically birefringent MS and the angle (α) between MS and PB (evaluated using polarizing microscopy), were used to indicate oocyte maturation and appropriate time for fertilization. In this study, 124 patients undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) whose oocytes were evaluated by MS visualization had a significantly higher clinical pregnancy rate (38% vs 26%) and utilization rate (54% vs 38%) when compared to the control group, using one standard IVF cycle without MS visualization. Significantly, in group of 79 patients > 35 years old, 34% became pregnant when α was evaluated and ICSI time adjusted to achieve the full oocyte maturation, compared to only 18% in the control group. The number of high-quality embryos in the MS visualized group was significantly higher compared to the control group, increasing the probability of pregnancy. Based on this research, we propose to incorporate monitoring the mutual position of MS and PB as a valid marker of embryo quality which can significantly improve pregnancy rate.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
T. Nishisouzu ◽  
A. Abe ◽  
S. Matoba ◽  
O. Dochi ◽  
K. Okamura

Despite the rapid expansion of in vitro embryo production (IVP) technology for genetic improvement in the cattle industry in the last decades, pregnancy rates by the transfer of IVP embryos are still lower than those derived from in vivo-produced embryos. The objective of this study was to analyse factors affecting pregnancy rates after the transfer of IVP Japanese Black cattle embryos under farm conditions. Holstein heifers (n = 4,475) and cows (n = 8,541) were selected as recipients. Most cows (80%) were managed in tie-stall barns and most heifers (80%) were managed in pens. Embryo transfers were performed for 9 years, from 2004 to 2012. The embryos were produced from oocytes derived from a local abattoir and semen from 14 proven bulls by the Livestock Improvement Association of Japan (Hamano and Kuwayama 1993 Theriogelogy 39, 703–712). The fresh IVP embryos (quality; IETS code 1) that reached the blastocyst stage after 7 to 8 days (insemination = Day 0) were transported by an airplane (2 h) and subsequently by a car (1.5 h). Embryos were non-surgically transferred to each recipient on Day 7 to 9 of their natural oestrous cycle on farms. Pregnancy was diagnosed on Day 40 to 60 after oestrus. Pregnancy results were statistically analysed using the GLM procedures of SAS. The following variables were included in the model: recipient parity (0, 1, 2, or 3), day (7, 8, or 9) of the oestrous cycle at the time of embryo transfer, oestrus behaviour (increased activity observed by farmers), presence of mucus at oestrus, presence of blood after oestrus, and year (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9) and season (April–June as spring, July–September as summer, October–December as fall, or January–March as winter) of embryo transfer. The Bonferroni correction was used to counteract the problem of multiple comparisons. Heifers had significantly higher pregnancy rates than cows (51.0% v. 37.9%, respectively; P < 0.01), and first parity cows had higher pregnancy rates than third parity cows (42.9% v. 35.7%, respectively; P < 0.01). Pregnancy rates were significantly higher in recipients that received an embryo transfer on Day 8 of their oestrous cycle, than on Day 7 (46.6% v. 42.4%, respectively; P < 0.01). Recipients without oestrus behaviour had higher pregnancy rates than those with oestrus behaviour (46.3% v. 43.4%, respectively; P < 0.01). The presence of mucus and/or blood after oestrus and the season of transfer were not found to significantly affect pregnancy rates. The results of this study indicated that performing IVP embryo transfers on Day 8 of a recipient’s oestrous cycle will improve the pregnancy rate, season does not have an effect on pregnancy rate, and the detection of oestrus by monitoring increased activity is not always reliable and instead should be determined by multiple symptoms on farm conditions.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 204 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. M. Carnevale ◽  
J. E. Stokes ◽  
J. S. Rodriguez ◽  
P. M. McCue

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is used to produce offspring from stallions with poor quality or limited availability of semen. Embryos produced by ICSI can be cultured to a stage of development suitable for nonsurgical transfer into recipient uteri. However, use of a recipient is expensive, and transfer of an ICSI-produced embryo back into the oocyte donor's uterus would allow her to carry the pregnancy. We attempted autogenous transfers of ICSI-produced embryos back into the oocyte donors’ uteri for 3 mares in a clinical setting. Three Quarter Horse mares, aged 9, 10, and 13 years, were admitted to the clinical assisted reproduction program at Colorado State University's Equine Reproduction Laboratory (Fort Collins, CO, USA). When a follicle or follicles at least 33 mm in diameter, relaxed cervix, and uterine oedema were observed, deslorelin acetate (1.25 mg, IM) and hCG (2000 IU, IV) were administered. Approximately 22 h later, oocytes were collected by transvaginal, ultrasound-guided follicular aspirations. Oocytes were placed in culture, and 18 to 20 h later, ICSI was performed using frozen sperm from 4 stallions (A–D), all with limited semen availability. Resulting embryos were cultured in DMEM/F12 with 10% fetal calf serum at 38 to 38.5°C for 5 or 6 days, when all embryos reached the blastocyst stage. Oocyte and embryo cultures were performed as previously described (Carnevale et al. 2010 Anim. Reprod. Sci. 121S, S241–243). Blastocysts were transferred nonsurgically into the uteri of recipients or donors, and pregnancies were observed by ultrasound at 12, 16, 25, and 35 days. The 9-year-old donor had 2 oocyte collection cycles. An oocyte was not retrieved during the first cycle; 2 oocytes were collected the second cycle, resulting in 2 blastocysts. One blastocyst was transferred into a synchronized recipient, who did not become pregnant; the second blastocyst was transferred into the donor, resulting in a pregnancy (stallion A). The 10-year-old mare had a single oocyte collection cycle yielding 2 oocytes, and 2 blastocysts were produced from the same stallion (B). One blastocyst was transferred into the uterus of a synchronized recipient, and one blastocyst was transferred back into the donor's uterus. Both mares were diagnosed pregnant, but the recipient lost the pregnancy between 25 and 36 days. The 13-year-old donor donated a single oocyte during her first cycle, resulting in a blastocyst that was transferred into a recipient and a pregnancy (C). Two oocytes were obtained during the subsequent cycle and injected with sperm from different stallions; 1 presumptive zygote did not cleave after ICSI (D), and the second resulted in a blastocyst that was transferred back into the donor, resulting in a pregnancy (A). In total, 7 oocytes were collected during 5 cycles, resulting in 6 blastocysts and 5 pregnancies, with ongoing pregnancies in 1 recipient and in the 3 oocyte donors. Pregnancies were established for 3 stallions (A–C). The methods used were effective in producing clinical pregnancies in oocyte donors after oocyte collection, ICSI, and nonsurgical embryo transfer.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 22-30
Author(s):  
A K Paul ◽  
S M T Rahman

Hormonal treatment of cows at the coastal region of Barisal district of Bangladesh was performed to assess the improvement of pregnancy rate. A total of 100 cows and heifers with irregular history of cyclicity were selected randomly and divided into five treatment groups. The groups were A (treated with anthelmintic), B (treated with anthelmintic, vitamin ADE and multivitamin powder), C (treated with PGF2α), D (treated with GnRH) and E (treated with GnRH and PGF2α). Each group comprised of 20 animals. The age, breed and parity of experimental cows were considered during treatment. In the study, the cows treated with both GnRH and PGF2α (group E) showed significantly (p<0.05) higher estrus (80%) and pregnancy rate (60%) than that of group A, B, C and D. The overall estrus rates of local and crossbred cows were 64% and 70%, respectively and the pregnancy rates were 40 and 52%, respectively. The crossbred cows responded significantly (p<0.05) to hormonal treatment than that of local cows. Parity-2 cows showed higher estrus sign than that of other parities. However, the pregnancy rates were higher significantly (p<0.05) in parity-2 and parity ≥4 cows than that of parity-0, parity-1 and parity-3 cows. The pregnancy rate was also found higher in case of 4 to <5 years old cows than that of 2 to <3, 3 to <4, 5 to <6, and ≥6 years old. It may conclude that the hormonal regimen increases the pregnancy rate as well as decreases the undesired waiting of estrus and conception. Further study with more sample size will reveal the more effective treatment for cows at the coastal areas of Bangladesh.


2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 22-30
Author(s):  
A K Paul ◽  
S M T Rahman

Hormonal treatment of cows at the coastal region of Barisal district of Bangladesh was performed to assess the improvement of pregnancy rate. A total of 100 cows and heifers with irregular history of cyclicity were selected randomly and divided into five treatment groups. The groups were A (treated with anthelmintic), B (treated with anthelmintic, vitamin ADE and multivitamin powder), C (treated with PGF2α), D (treated with GnRH) and E (treated with GnRH and PGF2α). Each group comprised of 20 animals. The age, breed and parity of experimental cows were considered during treatment. In the study, the cows treated with both GnRH and PGF2α (group E) showed significantly (p<0.05) higher estrus (80%) and pregnancy rate (60%) than that of group A, B, C and D. The overall estrus rates of local and crossbred cows were 64% and 70%, respectively and the pregnancy rates were 40 and 52%, respectively. The crossbred cows responded significantly (p<0.05) to hormonal treatment than that of local cows. Parity-2 cows showed higher estrus sign than that of other parities. However, the pregnancy rates were higher significantly (p<0.05) in parity-2 and parity ≥4 cows than that of parity-0, parity-1 and parity-3 cows. The pregnancy rate was also found higher in case of 4 to <5 years old cows than that of 2 to <3, 3 to <4, 5 to <6, and ≥6 years old. It may conclude that the hormonal regimen increases the pregnancy rate as well as decreases the undesired waiting of estrus and conception. Further study with more sample size will reveal the more effective treatment for cows at the coastal areas of Bangladesh.


1972 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 582-590
Author(s):  
B. K. Davis ◽  
I. Noske ◽  
M. C. Chang

ABSTRACT Ethinyloestradiol (EO) fed for various periods before mating to female hamsters affected the timing of mating and pregnancy rate. Slight effects on ovulation, foetal-crown rump length and resorption may have occurred, but effects on implantation were not apparent among pregnant hamsters. The response observed depended upon the feeding schedule adopted: hamsters fed 2.5 mg EO in a single dose, on day 3 before mating, mated normally but had a significantly lower pregnancy rate; on the other hand, animals fed 2.5 mg EO (0.21 mg/day) over three oestrous cycles, days 14–3 before mating, showed variations in the time of mating but had an essentially normal pregnancy rate; and, a group of hamsters who received the same total amount of EO (0.63 mg/day) over one oestrous cycle, days 6–3 premating, showed untowards effects by the steroid on both the timing of mating and pregnancy rate. The implications of these results are considered in relation to fertility control.


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