Because a large proportion of the embryo's quality is dependent upon the egg, this
investigation focuses on treatment of the oocyte during in vitro maturation (IVM). In typical
IVF cycles, the egg is recovered when it is mature and ready to be fertilized. However, at
this point the oocyte's quality has been set, and cannot be altered. Therefore, to have an
impact on oocyte quality the use of in IVM is critical. Development of a successful IVM
protocol for clinical use would not only provide an option for women of advanced maternal
age, it would also reduce the cost of IVF due to fewer exogenous gonadotropins used for
stimulation, and significantly lessen the risk of ovarian hyper-stimulation.
The objective of this research study is to evaluate a newly developed oocyte maturation media
system for human clinical use in assisted reproductive technology (ART).