Preliminary Trials of a Specific Gravity Technique in the Determination of Early Embryo Growth Potential†

Overview

Journal Hum Reprod

Publisher Oxford University Press

Specialty Reproductive Medicine

Date 2015 Jul 24

PMID 26202920

Authors

S D Prien

C E Wessels

L L Penrose

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Study Question: Can a modified specific gravity technique be used to distinguish viable from nonviable embryos?

Summary Answer: Preliminary data suggests a modified specific gravity technique can be used to determine embryo viability and potential for future development.

What Is Known Already: Single embryo transfer (SET) is fast becoming the standard of practice. However, there is currently no reliable method to ensure development of the embryo transferred.

Study Design, Size, Duration: A preliminary, animal-based in vitro study of specific gravity as a predictor of embryo development using a mouse model.

Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: After a brief study to demonstrate embryo recovery, experiments were conducted to assess the ability of the specific gravity system (SGS) to distinguish between viable and nonviable embryos. In the first study, 1-cell mouse embryos were exposed to the SGS with or without previous exposure to an extreme heat source (60°C); measurements were repeated daily for 5 days. In the second experiment, larger pools of 1-cell embryos were either placed directly in culture or passed through the SGS and then placed in culture and monitored for 4 days.

Main Results And The Role Of Chance: In the first experiment, viable embryos demonstrated a predictable pattern of descent time over the first 48 h of development (similar to previous experience with the SGS), while embryos that were heat killed demonstrated significantly altered drop patterns (P < 0.001); first descending faster. In the second experiment, average descent times were different for embryos that stalled early versus those that developed to blastocyst (P < 0.001). Interestingly, more embryos dropped through the SGS developed to blastocyst than the culture control (P < 0.01).

Limitations, Reasons For Caution: As this is a preliminary report of the SGS technology determining viability, a larger embryo population will be needed. Further, the current in vitro study will need to be followed by fecundity studies prior to application to a human population.

Wider Implications Of The Findings: If proven, the SGS would provide a noninvasive means of assessing embryos prior to transfer after assisted reproductive technologies procedures, thereby improving fecundity and allowing more reliable SET.

Study Funding/competing Interests: The authors gratefully acknowledge the funding support of the U.S. Jersey Association, the Laura W. Bush Institute for Women's Health and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant through the Undergraduate Science Education Program to Texas Tech University. None of the authors have any conflict of interest regarding this work.

Trial Registration Number: none.

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