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Single live birth derived from conjoined oocytes using laser-cutting technique: a case report

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2021

Qin Wang ,
Ashley Ulker Open the ORCID record for Ashley Ulker [Opens in a new window] ,
Hongfeng Wang ,
Bin Wu ,
Aijun Yang  and
George R. Attia
Qin Wang
Affiliation:
Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Shandong, China
Ashley Ulker*
Affiliation:
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
Hongfeng Wang
Affiliation:
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
Bin Wu
Affiliation:
Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Tucson, AZ85712, USA
Aijun Yang
Affiliation:
Department of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Jining Medical University, Shandong, China
George R. Attia
Affiliation:
Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Ashley Ulker. Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA. E-mail: [email protected]
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Summary

The finding of conjoined oocytes is a rare occurrence that accounts for only 0.3% of all human retrieved oocytes. This phenomenon is quite different from that of a traditional single oocyte emanating from one follicle, and may result in dizygotic twins and mosaicism. Given the insufficient evidence on how to approach conjoined oocytes, their fate is variable among different in vitro fertilization (IVF) centres. In this observational report, we propose a new protocol for the use of these conjoined oocytes using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), laser-cutting technique and next-generation sequencing (NGS). The first case report demonstrates that conjoined oocytes can penetrate their shared zona pellucida (ZP) at Day 6. The second case is that of a 25-year-old female patient who underwent a successful embryo transfer cycle after removal of one oocyte in which a pair of conjoined human oocytes underwent ICSI, laser-cutting separation and NGS testing. The patient achieved pregnancy and gave birth to single healthy female originally derived from conjoined oocytes. This case provided a means through which normal pregnancy may be achieved from conjoined oocytes using laser-cutting separation techniques. The protocol described may be especially beneficial to patients with a limited number of oocytes.

Keywords

Conjoined oocytesICSILaser-cuttingNext-generation sequencingSingle pregnancy
Type
Research Article
Information
Zygote , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , April 2022 , pp. 217 - 220
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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