Yanhe Liu1, Vincent Chapple2, Katie Feenan2, Peter Roberts3, Phillip Matson4. 1. Fertility North, Joondalup Private Hospital, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia. Electronic address: yanhe.liu@fertilitynorth.com.au. 2. Fertility North, Joondalup Private Hospital, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia. 3. School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia. 4. Fertility North, Joondalup Private Hospital, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia; School of Medical Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Western Australia, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of intercellular contact point (ICCP) in four-cell stage human embryos and the effectiveness of morphology and abnormal cleavage patterns in identifying embryos with low implantation potential. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Private IVF center. PATIENT(S): A total of 223 consecutive IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment cycles, with all resulting embryos cultured in the Embryoscope, and a subset of 207 cycles analyzed for ICCP number where good-quality four-cell embryos were available on day 2 (n = 373 IVF and n = 392 intracytoplasmic sperm injection embryos). INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Morphologic score on day 3, embryo morphokinetic parameters, incidence of abnormal biological events, and known implantation results. RESULT(S): Of 765 good-quality four-cell embryos, 89 (11.6%) failed to achieve six ICCPs; 166 of 765 (21.7%) initially had fewer than six ICCPs but were able to establish six ICCPs before subsequent division. Embryos with fewer than six ICCPs at the end of four-cell stage had a lower implantation rate (5.0% vs. 38.5%), with lower embryology performance in both conventional and morphokinetic assessments, compared with embryos achieving six ICCPs by the end of four-cell stage. Deselecting embryos with poor morphology, direct cleavage, reverse cleavage, and fewer than six ICCPs at the four-cell stage led to a significantly improved implantation rate (33.6% vs. 22.4%). CONCLUSION(S): Embryos with fewer than six ICCPs at the end of the four-cell stage show compromised subsequent development and reduced implantation potential. Deselection of embryos with poor morphology and abnormal cleavage revealed via time-lapse imaging could provide the basis of a qualitative algorithm for embryo selection.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical significance of intercellular contact point (ICCP) in four-cell stage human embryos and the effectiveness of morphology and abnormal cleavage patterns in identifying embryos with low implantation potential. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Private IVF center. PATIENT(S): A total of 223 consecutive IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment cycles, with all resulting embryos cultured in the Embryoscope, and a subset of 207 cycles analyzed for ICCP number where good-quality four-cell embryos were available on day 2 (n = 373 IVF and n = 392 intracytoplasmic sperm injection embryos). INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Morphologic score on day 3, embryo morphokinetic parameters, incidence of abnormal biological events, and known implantation results. RESULT(S): Of 765 good-quality four-cell embryos, 89 (11.6%) failed to achieve six ICCPs; 166 of 765 (21.7%) initially had fewer than six ICCPs but were able to establish six ICCPs before subsequent division. Embryos with fewer than six ICCPs at the end of four-cell stage had a lower implantation rate (5.0% vs. 38.5%), with lower embryology performance in both conventional and morphokinetic assessments, compared with embryos achieving six ICCPs by the end of four-cell stage. Deselecting embryos with poor morphology, direct cleavage, reverse cleavage, and fewer than six ICCPs at the four-cell stage led to a significantly improved implantation rate (33.6% vs. 22.4%). CONCLUSION(S): Embryos with fewer than six ICCPs at the end of the four-cell stage show compromised subsequent development and reduced implantation potential. Deselection of embryos with poor morphology and abnormal cleavage revealed via time-lapse imaging could provide the basis of a qualitative algorithm for embryo selection.
Authors: Junko Otsuki; T Iwasaki; Y Katada; Y Tsutsumi; Y Tsuji; K Furuhashi; S Kokeguchi; M Shiotani Journal: J Assist Reprod Genet Date: 2018-01-22 Impact factor: 3.412
Authors: Luis Martínez-Granados; María Serrano; Antonio González-Utor; Nereyda Ortíz; Vicente Badajoz; Enrique Olaya; Nicolás Prados; Montse Boada; Jose A Castilla Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-08-25 Impact factor: 3.240