Embryo Development and Transfer Following Poor Oocyte Maturity in IVF/ICSI Cycles at a Fertility Center in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Background: In vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) is an established treatment for infertility, with oocyte maturity being a critical determinant of successful fertilization and embryo development.Although poor oocyte maturity is generally associated with reduced reproductive outcomes, successful embryo development may still occur in selected cases.Evidence describing IVF/ICSI laboratory outcomes from Somalia remains extremely limited.Objective: To evaluate oocyte maturity, fertilization, embryo development, and embryo transfer outcomes among patients undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment at Marwa Fertility Center in Mogadishu, Somalia.Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using embryology laboratory records from 11 anonymized patients who underwent IVF/ICSI between 30 June and 21 July 2026.Data extracted included the number of retrieved oocytes, metaphase II (MII), metaphase I (MI), germinal vesicle (GV), degenerated oocytes, fertilization outcomes, cleavage-stage embryos, blastocyst development, and embryo transfer.Data were summarized using descriptive statistics.Results: Eleven IVF/ICSI cycles yielded a total of 130 retrieved oocytes, of which 94 were mature (MII).Patient-level oocyte maturity rates ranged from 52.7% to 100%.Forty-one oocytes were successfully fertilized, with fertilization rates varying from 0% to 81.8% across patients.Blastocyst development was achieved in four patients, resulting in seven blastocysts overall.Notably, some patients with relatively poor oocyte maturity still achieved fertilization, cleavage-stage embryo development, blastocyst formation, and embryo transfer, suggesting that reduced oocyte maturity does not invariably prevent favorable embryological outcomes.Conclusion: IVF/ICSI outcomes varied considerably among patients, reflecting the multifactorial nature of assisted reproduction.While higher oocyte maturity generally supports improved laboratory outcomes, successful embryo development was observed in selected cycles despite suboptimal maturity.These findings contribute preliminary evidence on assisted reproductive technology in Somalia and emphasize the importance of individualized clinical management and high-quality embryology laboratory practices.Larger prospective studies with complete pregnancy and live-birth follow-up are needed to confirm these observations.