Pregnancy after zona drilling of cryopreserved thawed embryos: case report.

OBJECTIVE

To confirm successful implantation of IVF, cryopreserved human embryos after assisted hatching with acidic Tyrode's solution.

DESIGN

Case report.

SETTING

In vitro fertilization-ET facility of a university-based practice.

PATIENT: A 28-year-old female with nonoperable bilateral tubal occlusion and > 1 1/2 years of primary infertility.

INTERVENTIONS: The patient was stimulated for egg retrieval after an hMG-controlled ovarian hyperstimulation regime. Luteal phase leuprolide acetate (1 mg) was administered SC for 10 days. The dose was then reduced to 0.5 mg, and she was given hMG and FSH IM twice daily until two lead follicles reached 20 mm average diameter. The patient was administered 10,000 IU hCG 36 hours before retrieval.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Viable pregnancy documented by ultrasound (US).

RESULTS

After the transfer of five cryopreserved-thawed human embryos that were subjected to assisted hatching using acidic Tyrode's solution, the patient established a triplet gestation as documented by US.

CONCLUSION

This case report demonstrates that zona drilling can be successfully applied to frozen-thawed pronuclear stage embryos that were cultured to 72 hours without damaging them, as evidenced by continued cleavage and resulting implantation.