Live birth after frozen-thawed oocytes matured in vitro in a PCOS patient: a model for improving implantation rates in IVM cycles and objectively assessing the real potential of development of frozen oocytes matured in vitro

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes has emerged in the strategy of infertility treatment, with the main indication being in patients suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). More recently, IVM has been proposed as an option for fertility preservation in women having to undergo gonadotoxic treatments. However, despite the increasing application of IVM, the potential of development of in vitro matured oocytes after thawing remains ill-established and few pregnancies have been reported so far. We report herein a case of live birth after frozen-thawed oocytes matured in vitro and embryo transfer during an artificial cycle in a 29-year-old patient with primary infertility due to PCOS.

The present case demonstrates that the transfer of frozen-thawed IVM oocytes during an artificial cycle in PCOS patients is feasible and leads to pregnancy and live birth. This strategy may also be an interesting option to objectively assess the developmental potential of these oocytes after freezing and thawing, which is a major concern for physicians who include the IVM approach in their fertility preservation program.

• Fertility preservation
• implantation
• in vitro maturation of oocytes
• ovarian hyper-stimulation syndrome
• polycystic ovary syndrome