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Embryologists are constantly examining the eggs and embryos that they culture during IVF in an attempt to identify characteristics that can reliably predict reproductive success. Morphology (structure or shape) of the eggs and embryos is typically used during their grading. However, most of these morphologic characteristics have not been reliably correlated with reproductive success (pregnancy) at IVF. Pregnancy rates at IVF are known to be reliably associated with (and decrease with) advancing maternal age, decreasing ovarian reserve (as defined by basal FSH concentration or clomiphene citrate challenge test results), and a history of multiple prior IVF (implantation) failures.
It has been proposed that the transfer of cellular material (protoplasm) from a healthy donor egg into an egg that is associated with poor reproductive potential (at IVF) may significantly enhance the probability of pregnancy. Essentially, the basis of this theory is that “something” in the substance of the healthy donor egg is able to be transplanted into an egg with less reproductive potential to minimize the chance of forming an otherwise developmentally compromised embryo that will not implant.
Results from the initial (small) studies describing ooplasmic transplantation from donor eggs into eggs retrieved from women with multiple implantation failures are encouraging. This is another exciting area of active research within the field of human reproduction that will most likely lead to the development of clinically accepted procedures in the future.
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