Scanning the Meiotic Spindle in Assisted Reproductive Techniques to Assess Oocyte Quality

The assisted reproduction success rate is affected by several factors including the age of the women, oocyte quality and maturation state, as well as sperm quality. Imaging of the meiotic spindle may be crucial for determining the oocyte maturation and the optimal time of oocyte fertilization by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). A new accurate and non-invasive method for selecting quality maturated oocytes based on meiotic spindle imaging is for women over 35 years of age will be introduced. The evaluation of efficiency using meiotic spindle visibility in polarized light and its relative position to the polar body as indicator of oocyte maturity will be monitored and the optimal time for ICSI will be defined.