ABSTRACT
Assessment of oocyte morphology and determination of its correlation with quality and viability and with the clinical outcome is a difcult task, as the underlying mechanisms that change its appearance are multifactorial and complex. Optimal oocyte morphology (Figure 5.1) is dened as an oocyte with spherical structure enclosed by a uniform zona pellucida (ZP), with a uniform translucent cytoplasm free of inclusions and a size-appropriate polar body (Pb) [1,2]. However, metaphase II (MII)-stage oocytes retrieved from patients after ovarian stimulation are known to show signicant morphological variations that may affect the developmental competence and implantation potential of the derived embryo.
