Comparison of Medicult and Sage Media for In Vitro Maturation of Immature Oocytes Obtained during Cesarean Deliveries

Ovarian stimulation is performed in assisted reproductive technology (ART) to increase the yield of oocytes and embryos. The stimulation involves a daily hormonal injection, which causes discomfort and inconvenience to the patients. The medication is expensive and the treatment requires frequent ultrasound scans and medical visits. Ovarian stimulation also exposes the patients to the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), with only modest increase in the success rate [1,2]. There are also concerns about the long-term side effects of ovarian stimulation and the increased risk of ovarian, endometrial and breast cancers [3,4]. In vitro maturation (IVM) of immature oocytes is an attractive alternative to overcome the disadvantages of conventional ART treatment [1,2,5]. Edwards reported early attempts of human IVM [6], but the first live birth was achieved nearly 30 years later [7]. Since then more than 5,000 children have been conceived from IVM of human oocytes [5]. However, pregnancy and live birth rates remain low after the transfer of embryos derived from IVM, compared with in vivo-matured oocytes [1,2].