Telomere length predicts embryo fragmentation after in vitro fertilization in women - Toward a telomere theory of reproductive aging in women

The telomore length was examined as a predictor of cytoplasmic fragmentation, as well as other morphological features, in embryos from women undergoing IVF for treatment of infertility. The finding that telomeric length in human eggs predicts cytoplasmic fragmentation in embryos provides evidence that telomere shortening induces apoptosis in human preimplantation embryos, consistent with a telomore theory of reproductive senescence in women.