The impact of cigarette smoking on zona pellucida thickness of oocytes and embryos prior to transfer into the uterine cavity

BACKGROUND: Smoking has been reported to promote infertility. The zona pellucida plays an important role in fertilization and implantation. We report, for the first time, the effect of cigarette smoking on zona pellucida thickness of oocytes and embryos as one of the factors that may interfere with...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Human reproduction (Oxford) Vol. 19; no. 1; pp. 157 - 159
Main Authors:	Shiloh, H., Baratz, S.Lahav, Koifman, M., Ishai, D., Bidder, D., Weiner‐Meganzi, Z., Dirnfeld, M.
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Oxford Oxford University Press 01-01-2004 Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
Subjects:	Adult Biological and medical sciences Case-Control Studies cigarette smoking/embryo/oocyte/zona pellucida Embryo Transfer Embryo, Mammalian - ultrastructure Embryology: invertebrates and vertebrates. Teratology Female Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology Humans Male Middle Aged Oocytes - ultrastructure Prospective Studies Smoking - adverse effects Spouses Tobacco Smoke Pollution - adverse effects Zona Pellucida - ultrastructure cigarette smoking/embryo/oocyte/zona pellucida Cigarette Embryo transfer Vertebrata Mammalia Uterus Female genital system Tobacco smoking Germinal cell Zona pellucida Oocyte
Online Access:	Get full text
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	BACKGROUND: Smoking has been reported to promote infertility. The zona pellucida plays an important role in fertilization and implantation. We report, for the first time, the effect of cigarette smoking on zona pellucida thickness of oocytes and embryos as one of the factors that may interfere with fertility. METHODS: This study comprised 169 women, grouped according to their smoking habits: 31 active smokers, whose husbands do not smoke; 44 active smokers, whose husbands smoke; 65 passive smokers, because of smoking husbands and 29 non‐smokers (women and husbands). Zona pellucida thickness was measured prospectively on printed photos of 903 oocytes and 456 embryos. RESULTS: The zona pellucida thickness of oocytes and embryos of non‐smoking women was significantly thinner than those of active and passive smokers. However, no significant differences were observed in the natural ability of the zona pellucida to become thinner after 48 h in culture. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that active and passive cigarette smoking increases the zona pellucida thickness of oocytes and embryos. Our findings also show that active and passive smoking has no significant effect on the thinning mechanism of the zona pellucida, which implies that it is independent of the initial zona pellucida thickness.
Bibliography:	3To whom correspondence should be addressed. e‐mail: jshiloh@rafael.co.il local:deh029 ark:/67375/HXZ-SHNF5W70-0 istex:D0461CD70460055BE293912D8B09053F86479ADD
ISSN:	0268-1161 1460-2350 1460-2350
DOI:	10.1093/humrep/deh029