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Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics logoLink to Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
. 1999 Aug;16(7):385–389. doi: 10.1023/A:1020550115345

Unequal Pronuclear Size—A Powerful Predictor of Embryonic Chromosome Anomalies

D Manor 1,, A Drugan 1, D Stein 1, M Pillar 1, J Itskovitz-Eldor 1,2
PMCID: PMC3455778  PMID: 10459523

Abstract

Purpose:Our purpose was to evaluate whether pronuclei of unequal size, observed in 13.7% of zygotes evaluated after in vitro fertilization (IVF), are predictive of chromosome anomalies in the developing embryo.

Methods:The ploidy of 38 embryos grown from zygotes with unequal-sized pronuclei was assessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Twenty-six embryos developed after intracytoplasmic injection of sperm (ICSI) and 12 embryos were derived from conventional IVF.

Results:Chromosome anomalies were documented in the ICSI and IVF groups in 88.5 and 50% of cases, respectively.

Conclusions:We suggest that FISH should be employed to examine the ploidy of zygotes with unequal pronuclei, prior to embryo transfer.

Keywords: fluorescent in situ hybridization, in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, preimplantation diagnosis, pronuclear size

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