OBJECTIVE: To assess the applicability of oocyte IVM in case of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Private IVF unit. PATIENT(S): All male partners were affected by NOA. Twenty-one women (20 normo-ovulatory and 1 with polycystic ovary) underwent 27 IVM treatments. The outcome of controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) cycles in normo-ovulatory women whose partners were affected by NOA was assessed for comparison. INTERVENTION(S): Spermatozoa from testicular sperm extraction (TESE) samples were retrieved and cryopreserved before treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Rates of fertilization, pregnancy per cycle and transfer, and implantation. RESULT(S): Twenty-seven IVM-TESE cycles were carried out in 21 women. Fertilization rate was 64.4%. In compliance with national legislation, no more than three oocytes were inseminated in each cycle and all developing embryos were transferred. Six single clinical pregnancies were ascertained (22.2% and 27.3% pregnancy rates per cycle and per transfer, respectively). One pregnancy ended in abortion. The others developed to term and gave rise to five healthy babies. Sixty couples underwent standard COS-TESE treatment. Rates of fertilization, clinical pregnancy per cycle, implantation, and abortion were 64.6%, 20.0%, 11.3%, and 16.7%, respectively. Eleven babies were born from ten pregnancies. CONCLUSION(S): Oocyte IVM may represent an option in NOA cases.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the applicability of oocyte IVM in case of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). DESIGN: Case series. SETTING: Private IVF unit. PATIENT(S): All male partners were affected by NOA. Twenty-one women (20 normo-ovulatory and 1 with polycystic ovary) underwent 27 IVM treatments. The outcome of controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) cycles in normo-ovulatory women whose partners were affected by NOA was assessed for comparison. INTERVENTION(S): Spermatozoa from testicular sperm extraction (TESE) samples were retrieved and cryopreserved before treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Rates of fertilization, pregnancy per cycle and transfer, and implantation. RESULT(S): Twenty-seven IVM-TESE cycles were carried out in 21 women. Fertilization rate was 64.4%. In compliance with national legislation, no more than three oocytes were inseminated in each cycle and all developing embryos were transferred. Six single clinical pregnancies were ascertained (22.2% and 27.3% pregnancy rates per cycle and per transfer, respectively). One pregnancy ended in abortion. The others developed to term and gave rise to five healthy babies. Sixty couples underwent standard COS-TESE treatment. Rates of fertilization, clinical pregnancy per cycle, implantation, and abortion were 64.6%, 20.0%, 11.3%, and 16.7%, respectively. Eleven babies were born from ten pregnancies. CONCLUSION(S): Oocyte IVM may represent an option in NOA cases.