Analysis of fertilization

Abstract

Fertilization is a complex molecular cellular process in which gametes come together to form a new organism (Bing & Ouellette, 2009). Reproduction consists of steps that begin with postcoital sperm entry into the female reproductive system, followed by sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction, activation of the oocyte, attachment to the zona pellucida (ZP) and penetration. Disruption of the synchronization between these events, which are regulated by various substances secreted by the oviduct, can cause infertility (Mahutte & Arici, 2003). In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a technical process in which oocytes are fertilized outside the body and the resulting embryos are grown in the laboratory and transferred to the woman's uterus (Bing & Ouellette, 2009). Implantation rates of embryos resulting from IVF remain low at ~30 per cent. Transferring multiple embryos increases the pregnancy rate, but the risk of multiple pregnancy increases too and causes maternal and neonatal health problems. Therefore, transfer of a single healthy embryo avoids these problems (Kirkegaard et al., 2012). Given this success, the mechanisms of fertilization appear to be understood, but the precise details of many steps remain to be discovered (Siu et al., 2021). Here, we aim to explain what fertilization is, its stages, how to evaluate fertilization after IVF, and the factors that cause fertilization failure. © 2023 Nova Science Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved.