Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) Can Replace Patient Serum As a Protein Source in an in Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Program

Alternate protein sources have been suggested to replace the commonly used cord or patient serum for in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. During an 11-month period 127 patients treated for in vitro fertilization had either their serum (N = 71) or bovine serum albumin (BSA; N = 56) used as the protein source in the insemination and growth media. Ham's F-10 + 0.5% BSA was used for sperm swim-up and insemination media and 1% BSA was used for the growth media. Patient's serum was added to Ham's F-10 culture media at concentrations of 7.5 and 15% for insemination and growth, respectively. Embryo transfer was performed with Ham's F-10 containing 90% maternal serum in both groups. Fertilization rate of 259 oocytes inseminated in medium containing patient's serum did not differ when compared with 200 oocytes inseminated in medium containing BSA. Likewise, rates of abnormal fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy were similar in both groups. In a second experiment, 148 normally fertilized oocytes were transferred after 24 hr in culture to growth media containing two different concentrations of BSA (0.5 or 1%). Cleavage rates for the two groups were similar and the percentage of embryos developed to greater than or equal to 4 cells did not differ significantly. We conclude that a single concentration of BSA can safely be used to supplement culture media in human IVF with several practical and economical benefits.