Table 4 Association of the cytoplasmic halo with type of ovarian stimulation
| Â | Embryos with cytoplasmic halo, n (%) | TI from tHa to tHd | TI from tHa to tHc | TI from tHc to tHr | TI from tHr to tHd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ovarian stimulation | |||||
 Natural | 685 (95.9) | 14.1 ± 0.2 | 5.4 ± 0.2 | 6.9 ± 0.3 | 1.7 ± 0.1 |
 Clomiphene citrate | 61 (95.3) | 14.2 ± 0.1 | 5.7 ± 0.1 | 6.8 ± 0.1 | 1.8 ± 0.0 |
 Letrozole | 120 (96.8) | 13.4 ± 0.4 | 5.8 ± 0.3 | 6.0 ± 0.4 | 1.6 ± 0.1 |
 p-value | 0.8694 | 0.0806 | 0.3142 | 0.0739 | 0.3542 |
Insemination method | |||||
 cIVF | 266 (95.3) | 14.1 ± 0.2 | 5.9 ± 0.1 | 6.4 ± 0.2 | 1.8 ± 0.1 |
 ICSI | 600 (96.3) | 14.2 ± 0.1 | 5.5 ± 0.1 | 6.9 ± 0.1 | 1.7 ± 0.0 |
 p-value | 0.4926 | 0.6634 | 0.0122 | 0.0121 | 0.5077 |
Initial position of the male PN | |||||
 Central | 215 (95.6) | 14.1 ± 0.2 | 5.1 ± 0.1 | 7.6 ± 0.2 | 1.7 ± 0.1 |
 Intermediate | 265 (95.7) | 14.1 ± 0.2 | 5.6 ± 0.1 | 6.7 ± 0.2 | 1.8 ± 0.1 |
 Cortical | 386 (96.5) | 14.0 ± 0.1 | 6.0 ± 0.1 | 6.3 ± 0.1 | 1.7 ± 0.0 |
 p-value | 0.7959 | 0.4239 | <  0.0001 | <  0.0001 | 0.2038 |
Male PN appearance over halo appearance | |||||
 PN on same side (n = 165) | N.A. | 14.8 ± 0.1 | 5.6 ± 0.2 | 7.4 ± 0.2 | 1.7 ± 0.1 |
 PN on opposite side (n = 701) | N.A. | 14.0 ± 0.2 | 5.7 ± 0.2 | 6.6 ± 0.1 | 1.7 ± 0.0 |
 p-value | – | 0.0011 | 0.7225 | 0.0004 | 0.9623 |
Female PN appearance over halo appearance | |||||
 Same side (n = 401) | N.A. | 14.0 ± 0.1 | 5.6 ± 0.1 | 6.7 ± 0.1 | 1.7 ± 0.0 |
 Opposite side (n = 465) | N.A. | 14.3 ± 0.1 | 5.7 ± 0.2 | 6.8 ± 0.1 | 1.8 ± 0.0 |
 p-value | – | 0.0948 | 0.3170 | 0.5903 | 0.2471 |