P-609 Impact of low versus air oxygen tension on the oocyte maturation in PCOS women undergoing capacitation IVM: a sibling oocyte pilot study
Authors: Pham H , Tran V , Le A , Le T , Le H , Pham T , Huynh B , Ho T , Vuong L 
Published: July 2024

Study question

Does low or air oxygen tension improve the oocyte maturation rate in biphasic capacitation IVM (CAPA-IVM)?

Summary answer

Low oxygen tension resulted in a lower maturation rate and two-pronuclei fertilization rate compared with air oxygen tension in the CAPA-IVM culture.

What is known already

CAPA-IVM, with a pre-maturation step, improves the competence of oocytes matured in-vitro. The current CAPA-IVM culture condition is under air oxygen concentration. However, the impact of oxygen tension on in-vitro oocyte maturation needs to be better understood, and it remains uncertain whether the maturation process aligns with in-vivo conditions.

Study design, size, duration

A sibling oocyte pilot study of 416 cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) recruited from fifteen polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) women was performed at IVFMD, My Duc Phu Nhuan Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from November 2023 to January 2024. The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee (22/23/DD-BVMD, dated October 12th, 2023) and conducted according to Good Clinical Practice and Declaration of Helsinki 2002 principles. All participants provided written informed consent.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Women (18–37 years) diagnosed with PCOS undergoing CAPA-IVM were recruited. At collection, COCs from each woman were divided into two groups based on the oxygen tension used in the two steps of CAPA-IVM culture, low oxygen tension (5% O2, 6% CO2 at 37 °C) and air oxygen tension (20% O2, 6% CO2 at 37 °C). Embryos were cultured to blastocyst stage. Primary outcome was the oocyte maturation rate. Secondary outcomes were embryology outcomes.

Main results and the role of chance

A total of 416 COCs from fifteen eligible women were assigned to the low oxygen (207 COCs) and air oxygen tension (209 COCs) groups. Mean age and body max index were 29.0±2.5 years and 22.6±2.6, respectively. The maturation rate was significantly lower in the low oxygen group compared to the air oxygen group (54.1% vs. 66.5%, p = 0.01, respectively). The two-pronuclei fertilization rate per COC was significantly decreased in the low oxygen group compared to the air oxygen group (35.7% vs. 49.3%, p = 0.005, respectively). Rates of day-3 embryos, blastocyst formation rate, and good quality blastocyst rate were also lower but not significant in the low oxygen tension group as compared to the air oxygen tension group.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The study’s limitations include a relatively small sample size and a single ethnicity group. There was a lack of data on clinical outcomes after transferring embryos from the study.

Wider implications of the findings

Oocyte maturation rate and two-pronuclei fertilization rate were significantly lower when oxygen tension was reduced in the process of CAPA-IVM culture. Therefore, air oxygen tension should be considered as a standard for oocyte culture in the pre-maturation step of CAPA-IVM.

Trial registration number

NCT06087354