Recent Advances in InVitro Maturation (IVM): A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

In Vitro Maturation (IVM) is one of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) that involves the retrieval of immature oocytes from antral follicles in the ovaries, either in a non-stimulated or minimally stimulated state. IVM has drawn the attention of fertility specialists due to its reliability, cost-effectiveness, low risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), and acceptable clinical pregnancy rates Objective: Understanding the Process and Factors Influencing In Vitro Maturation of Human Oocytes (IVM) Method: The research methodology employed in this study is the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) method. Data was collected by documenting all articles based on predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 10 national and international journal articles were utilized for this study, obtained from databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Science Direct, using specific keywords including "In Vitro Maturation" and "human oocyte maturation". The literature search and study selection process followed the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Results: There were no instances of moderate-severe OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome) in the IVM group. The fertilization rate in the group receiving growth hormone (GH) was 12.8% higher compared to the control group. Additionally, the blastocyst rate in the GH group was 9.5% higher than that of the control group. Treatment with a concentration of 50 µmol/L ALA (alpha-lipoic acid) significantly accelerated oocyte maturation. It resulted in a significantly higher mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number in mature oocytes compared to the control group (0 µmol/L ALA). The highest maturation rates were observed in human umbilical cord mesenchymal cells (hUCM) in the in vitro maturation (fIVM) of germinal vesicle (GV) oocytes, while the lowest maturation rates were observed using alpha-Minimum Essential Medium (α-MEM) in the in vitro maturation (vIVM) of GV oocytes. When AMH (anti-Müllerian hormone) was added to the IVM medium, a maturation rate of 100% was achieved in mature oocytes. The inclusion of 50 mmol/L CoQ10 in IVM media was found to reduce the level of oocyte aneuploidy by nearly 50%. The formation rate of metaphase II (MII) stage oocytes was higher in culture medium containing 1.0 mm resveratrol compared to the control group. Subsequently, a total of eight cleavage-stage embryos were frozen after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). One year later, when the patient returned for the transfer of cryopreserved embryos, two embryos were thawed and transferred into the uterus. The patient successfully became pregnant, and the twin pregnancy progressed without complications, delivering two healthy full-term baby boys. Conclusion: The occurrence of OHSS was not observed in any of the IVM intervention groups. Supplementation with growth hormone (GH), alpha-lipoic acid (ALA), umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (CM-MSC), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), and resveratrol in the culture media each demonstrated a significant improvement in human oocyte maturation. Furthermore, resveratrol and coenzyme Q10 were effective in addressing abnormal spindle morphology, irregular chromosome arrangement, and high postmeiotic aneuploidy. It is worth noting that IVM is not exclusively limited to patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), as it can yield satisfactory outcomes in patients with autoimmune premature ovarian insufficiency (POI).