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Pictures of immature eggs - oocytes - from our IVF lab

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Some immature eggs are commonly obtained at IVF. Usually, about 10-15% of the eggs recovered at the egg retrieval are immature. Uncommonly, we find that most, or all, of the eggs are immature. The percentage of immature eggs is increased when the majority of the ovarian follicles are small at the time of the HCG trigger shot. In rare cases, a woman will have a significant predisposition to giving a high percentage of immature eggs with IVF. In such cases, the ovarian stimulation protocol should be modified to attempt correction of this situation - hopefully, allowing recovery of more mature eggs in a future IVF cycle..


A very immature egg with tightly packed corona and cumulus cells around it		The same egg, with the plane of focus a little higher, showing the 3-D situation of an egg surrounded by its "nurse cells". The egg is below the plane of focus. Red blood cells seen peripherally.

This very immature egg is at the "germinal vesicle" stage
It will not mature and fertilize in the IVF lab
The germinal vesicle is seen as the circular structure inside the egg at 8 o'clock

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In Vitro Fertilization

Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago

Gurnee, IL Crystal Lake, IL
(847) 662-1818 (815) 356-1818