Chen-Yu Chen1, Yuh-Ming Hwu2, Yu-Wen Weng3, Chung-Hao Lu3, Ying-Jie Chen3, Fang-Ju Sun4. 1. Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 2. Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Mackay Junior College of Medicine, Nursing, and Management, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: d96548019@ntu.edu.tw. 3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. 4. Department of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The most important factor for a successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilization is embryo quality. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that using the immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) assay to quantitatively measure β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) in blastocyst culture media to differentiate embryo quality. METHODS: This was a prospective case-control study including 28 samples of blastocyst culture media. We used single-step blastocyst culture and IMR assay to analyze β-hCG concentrations in culture media. We also explored the relationship between IMR signals of β-hCG and morphological grading of blastocysts. RESULTS: β-hCG concentration-dependent IMR signals were highly correlated with blastocyst morphological quality (Spearman correlation coefficient: 0.731). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed a cut-off IMR value to differentiate embryo quality of 0.873%, with an area under the curve of 0.947, sensitivity of 0.882 and specificity of 0.818. Furthermore, subanalysis also revealed a positive correlation between β-hCG concentration-dependent IMR signals and trophectoderm grading, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.576. CONCLUSIONS: An IMR assay can quantitatively measure β-hCG in blastocyst culture media, and may be a potential clinical tool to assist in the assessment of good blastocyst quality before embryo transfer.
BACKGROUND: The most important factor for a successful pregnancy after in vitro fertilization is embryo quality. The aim of this study was to explore the possibility that using the immunomagnetic reduction (IMR) assay to quantitatively measure β-subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) in blastocyst culture media to differentiate embryo quality. METHODS: This was a prospective case-control study including 28 samples of blastocyst culture media. We used single-step blastocyst culture and IMR assay to analyze β-hCG concentrations in culture media. We also explored the relationship between IMR signals of β-hCG and morphological grading of blastocysts. RESULTS: β-hCG concentration-dependent IMR signals were highly correlated with blastocyst morphological quality (Spearman correlation coefficient: 0.731). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis showed a cut-off IMR value to differentiate embryo quality of 0.873%, with an area under the curve of 0.947, sensitivity of 0.882 and specificity of 0.818. Furthermore, subanalysis also revealed a positive correlation between β-hCG concentration-dependent IMR signals and trophectoderm grading, with a Spearman correlation coefficient of 0.576. CONCLUSIONS: An IMR assay can quantitatively measure β-hCG in blastocyst culture media, and may be a potential clinical tool to assist in the assessment of good blastocyst quality before embryo transfer.