Between-laboratory Reproducibility of Time-lapse Embryo Selection Using Qualitative and Quantitative Parameters: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Purpose: To investigate the between-laboratory reproducibility of embryo selection/deselection effectiveness using qualitative and quantitative time-lapse parameters.

Methods: A systematic search was performed on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library (up to February 2020) without restriction on date, language, document type, and publication status. Measuring outcomes included implantation, blastulation, good-quality blastocyst formation, and euploid blastocyst.

Results: We detected 6 retrospective cohort studies externally validating the first clinical time-lapse model (Meseguer) emphasizing quantitative parameters, of which 3 (including one involving 2 independent centers) were included for the pooled analysis. Receiver operating characteristics analysis showed reduced predictive power of the model when either including or not including sister clinic validation. Fifteen cohort studies evaluating qualitative parameters were included for meta-analysis, and the mean Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was 5.3. Overall, meta-analysis showed significantly adverse association between the presence of ≥ 1 cleavage abnormalities and embryo implantation rates (11 studies, n = 7266; RR = 0.39[0.28, 0.55]; I = 57%). Further analysis showed adverse impacts of direct cleavage (7 studies, n = 7065; RR = 0.28 [0.15, 0.54] ; I = 46%), reverse cleavage (2 studies, n = 3622; RR = 0.16 [0.03, 0.75] ; I = 0%), chaotic cleavage (2 studies, n = 3643; RR = 0.11 [0.02, 0.69] ; I = 24%), and multinucleation (5 studies, n = 2576; RR = 0.59 [0.50, 0.69] ; I = 0%), but not the < 6 intercellular contact points at the 4-cell stage (1 study, n = 185; RR = 0.17 [0.02, 1.15] ).

Conclusions: Qualitative time-lapse parameters are reliably associated with embryo developmental potential among laboratories, whereas the reproducibility of time-lapse embryo selection model that emphasizes quantitative parameters may be compromised when externally applied.