Ultra-fast vitrification and rapid elution of human oocytes: Part II - verification of blastocyst development from mature oocytes.

Research Question: Will ultra-fast vitrification (UFV) and rapid elution of mature human oocytes retain the reliable, high survival rates and meiotic spindle normality seen in the germinal vesicle model, and will these oocytes maintain their developmental competence to form blastocyst-stage embryos following artificial oocyte activation (AOA)?

Design: Conventional vitrification treatment was compared with UFV treatment in mature, germinal-vesicle-derived oocytes (Phase 2, Expt. 2, n = 50) and substandard donor oocytes, metaphase I-metaphase II (MII) oocytes and poor-quality MII oocytes (n = 222). Post-warming survival, the integrity of the meiotic spindle and AOA-related development were assessed.