[First polar body morphology and fertilization rate, cleavage rate, and embryo quality].

Purpose: to determine the relationship between the morphology of the first spindle pole of human oocytes and rates of fertilization, fragmentation and embryo quality in procedures of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).

Methods: retrospective study of 582 consecutive ICSI cycles, from July 2003 to July 2005. The morphology of the first spindle pole (SP) was assessed through the analysis of 3,177 oocytes in metaphase II, immediately before the ICSI procedure, always by the same observer.

Supplemented tissue culture medium 199 is a better medium for in vitro maturation of oocytes from women with polycystic ovary syndrome women than human tubal fluid.

Objective: To compare oocyte maturation, fertilization and cleavage rates, and embryonic developmental quality after culture of human immature oocytes from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients in human tubal fluid (HTF) or tissue culture medium (TCM) 199.

Design: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

Setting: University hospital.

Endometrial preparation for in vitro oocyte maturation: early use of estrogen increases endometrial tissue and requires lower daily dosage: a cross over trial in 'mock' cycles.

Purpose: Determine if estrogen used since the beginning of the menstrual flow could improve endometrial tissue compared to standard endometrial preparation for in vitro maturation cycles.

Methods: Twenty polycystic ovary syndrome women were submitted to two estrogen therapy schedules: standard schedule; estrogen began on the day of planned egg retrieval (dosage was based on endometrial thickness); and long schedule; estrogen began on the first day of menstruation. No oocyte retrieval or embryo transfer was performed.