Evaluation of meiotic abnormalities of oocytes from polycystic ovary syndrome patients submitted to ovarian stimulation

Purpose: to evaluate the meiotic spindle and the chromosome distribution of in vitro matured oocytes obtained from stimulated cycles of infertile women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and with male factor and/or tubal infertility (Control Group) and compare in vitro maturation (IVM) rates between the groups analyzed. Methods: five infertile patients with PCOS and eight controls, submitted to stimulated cycles for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, were selected prospectively and consecutively, and respectively assigned to the study group and the Control Group. Immature oocytes (21 and 29, respectively, from PCOS and Control Group) were submitted to IVM. After IVM, oocytes with first polar body extruded were fixed and submitted to immunostaining and fluorescence microscopy for morphological evaluation of the spindle and of chromosome distribution. Statistical analysis was performed by the Fisher test with significance, when p <= 0.05. Results: IVM rates were similar between groups (47.6 e 44.8%, respectively, for PCOS and Control Group). Six of the ten oocytes (60%) from the study group and four of the 12 oocytes (33.3%) from the Control Group presented meiotic anomalies of the spindle and/or anomalous chromosome distribution, without statistical difference between groups. Conclusions: data from the present study did not demonstrate significant difference neither in IVM rates nor in the proportions of meiotic anomalies between in vitro matured oocytes obtained from stimulated cycles from PCOS patients and control ones.