HIGH SECURITY CLOSED DEVICES ARE EFFICIENT AND SAFE FOR VITRIFICATION TO PROTECT HUMAN OOCYTES FROM THE RISK OF VIRAL CONTAMINATION ESPECIALLY DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Objective: To compare the efficacy of high security versus open devices for human oocytes vitrification Design: Prospective study Between October 2015 and April 2020, 737 patients (775 oocytes cryopreservation cycles) were randomly assigned to two Groups: Group 1: 368 patients (389 vitrification cycles) by High Security Vitrification™ (HSV) Group 2: 369 patients (386 vitrification cycles) by Cryotop® open system Vitrification was performed in case of Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome, failure semen production and supernumerary oocytes Materials and Methods: All patients attending IVF and Infertility Center, University Hospital S Orsola (Italy), were stimulated with recombinant-follicle stimulating hormone and gonadotropin releasing hormone analogues Oocyte retrieval by transvaginal needle aspiration was performed 36 hours after ovulation triggering with recombinant Human chorionic gonadotropin injection Metafase II oocytes were vitrified by Kuwayama’s protocol (2005) and microinjected after warming Results: Results are shown in Table 1 [Formula presented] Conclusions: The efficacy of vitrification was assessed in vitro using survival, fertilization and cleavage rates and in vivo after embryo transfer by pregnancy, implantation and miscarriage rates Results shows no statistically significant differences using HSV or Cryotop® for oocytes vitrification Therefore, in order to ensure safety, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic, the use of the closed device eliminates the potential sample contamination during vitrification and storage without compromising its in vitro and in vivo survival and development