Time-lapse Imaging of Morula Compaction for Selecting High-quality Blastocysts: a Retrospective Cohort Study

Overview

Journal Arch Gynecol Obstet

Specialty Gynecology & Obstetrics

Date 2024 Apr 22

PMID 38649499

Authors

Jae Kyun Park

Yunmi Jeon

Soyoung Bang

Ji Won Kim

In Pyung Kwak

Woo Sik Lee

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Before blastocyst development, embryos undergo morphological and metabolic changes crucial for their subsequent growth. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between morula compaction and blastocyst formation and the subsequent chromosomal status of the embryos.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study evaluated embryo development (n = 371) using time-lapse imaging; 94 blastocysts underwent preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A).

Results: The embryos were classified as fully (Group 1, n = 194) or partially (Group 2, n = 177) compacted. Group 1 had significantly higher proportions of good- and average-quality blastocysts than Group 2 (21.6% vs. 3.4%, p = 0.001; 47.9% vs. 26.6%, p = 0.001, respectively). The time from the morula stage to the beginning and completion of compaction and blastocyst formation was significantly shorter in Group 1 than in Group 2 (78.6 vs. 82.4 h, p = 0.001; 87.0 vs. 92.2 h, p = 0.001; 100.2 vs. 103.7 h, p = 0.017, respectively). Group 1 embryos had larger surface areas than Group 2 embryos at various time points following blastocyst formation. Group 1 blastocysts had significantly higher average expansion rates than Group 2 blastocysts (653.6 vs. 499.2 μm/h, p = 0.001). PGT-A revealed a higher proportion of euploid embryos in Group 1 than in Group 2 (47.2% vs. 36.6%, p = 0.303).

Conclusion: Time-lapse microscopy uncovered a positive relationship between compaction and blastocyst quality and its association with embryo ploidy. Hence, compaction evaluation should be prioritized before blastocyst selection for transfer or cryopreservation.

References

Nagy Z, Shapiro D, Chang C . Vitrification of the human embryo: a more efficient and safer in vitro fertilization treatment. Fertil Steril. 2020; 113(2):241-247. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2019.12.009. View

Gardner D, Meseguer M, Rubio C, Treff N . Diagnosis of human preimplantation embryo viability. Hum Reprod Update. 2015; 21(6):727-47. DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmu064. View

Hill M, Eubanks A, Csokmay J, Christy A, Jahandideh S, DeCherney A . Is transferring a lower-quality embryo with a good-quality blastocyst detrimental to the likelihood of live birth?. Fertil Steril. 2020; 114(2):338-345. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2020.03.027. View

Park J, Ahn S, Seok S, Chang E, Kim J, Kwak I . Does Post-Warming Extended Culture Duration Affect the Clinical and Obstetric Outcomes of Patients of Advanced Maternal Age? A Single-Center Study. J Korean Med Sci. 2022; 37(12):e96. PMC: 8960938. DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2022.37.e96. View

Huang T, Huang D, Ahn H, Arnett C, Huang C . Early blastocyst expansion in euploid and aneuploid human embryos: evidence for a non-invasive and quantitative marker for embryo selection. Reprod Biomed Online. 2019; 39(1):27-39. DOI: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2019.01.010. View

Coticchio G, Borini A, Zaca C, Makrakis E, Sfontouris I . Fertilization signatures as biomarkers of embryo quality. Hum Reprod. 2022; 37(8):1704-1711. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deac123. View

Venturas M, Yang X, Sakkas D, Needleman D . Noninvasive metabolic profiling of cumulus cells, oocytes, and embryos via fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy: a mini-review. Hum Reprod. 2023; 38(5):799-810. PMC: 10152178. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead063. View

Nguyen Q, Sommer S, Greene B, Wrenzycki C, Wagner U, Ziller V . Effects of opening the incubator on morphokinetics in mouse embryos. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2018; 229:64-69. DOI: 10.1016/j.ejogrb.2018.08.003. View

Lundin K, Park H . Time-lapse technology for embryo culture and selection. Ups J Med Sci. 2020; 125(2):77-84. PMC: 7720962. DOI: 10.1080/03009734.2020.1728444. View

10.

Boucret L, Tramon L, Saulnier P, Ferre-LHotellier V, Bouet P, May-Panloup P . Change in the Strategy of Embryo Selection with Time-Lapse System Implementation-Impact on Clinical Pregnancy Rates. J Clin Med. 2021; 10(18). PMC: 8471151. DOI: 10.3390/jcm10184111. View

11.

Sainte-Rose R, Petit C, Dijols L, Frapsauce C, Guerif F . Extended embryo culture is effective for patients of an advanced maternal age. Sci Rep. 2021; 11(1):13499. PMC: 8242069. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92902-9. View

12.

Ezoe K, Miki T, Akaike H, Shimazaki K, Takahashi T, Tanimura Y . Maternal age affects pronuclear and chromatin dynamics, morula compaction and cell polarity, and blastulation of human embryos. Hum Reprod. 2023; 38(3):387-399. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/dead001. View

13.

Kim H, Park J, Eum J, Song H, Lee W, Lyu S . Embryo Selection Based on Morphological Parameters in a Single Vitrified-Warmed Blastocyst Transfer Cycle. Reprod Sci. 2020; 28(4):1060-1068. DOI: 10.1007/s43032-020-00349-6. View

14.

van de Velde H, de Vos A, Joris H, Nagy Z, van Steirteghem A . Effect of timing of oocyte denudation and micro-injection on survival, fertilization and embryo quality after intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Hum Reprod. 1998; 13(11):3160-4. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/13.11.3160. View

15.

Park J, Ahn S, Seok S, Park S, Bang S, Eum J . Clinical Usability of Embryo Development Using a Combined Qualitative and Quantitative Approach in a Single Vitrified-Warmed Blastocyst Transfer: Assessment of Pre-Vitrified Blastocyst Diameter and Post-Warmed Blastocyst Re-Expansion Speed. J Clin Med. 2022; 11(23). PMC: 9736480. DOI: 10.3390/jcm11237085. View

16.

Kim M, Park J, Jeon Y, Choe S, Lee H, Kim J . Correlation between Morphologic Grading and Euploidy Rates of Blastocysts, and Clinical Outcomes in In Vitro Fertilization Preimplantation Genetic Screening. J Korean Med Sci. 2019; 34(4):e27. PMC: 6345636. DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e27. View

18.

Lensen S, Lantsberg D, Gardner D, Sophian A, Wandafiana N, Kamath M . The role of timing in frozen embryo transfer. Fertil Steril. 2022; 118(5):832-838. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2022.08.009. View

19.

Venturas M, Shah J, Yang X, Sanchez T, Conway W, Sakkas D . Metabolic state of human blastocysts measured by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy. Hum Reprod. 2022; 37(3):411-427. DOI: 10.1093/humrep/deab283. View

20.

Bebbere D, Coticchio G, Borini A, Ledda S . Oocyte aging: looking beyond chromosome segregation errors. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2022; 39(4):793-800. PMC: 9051005. DOI: 10.1007/s10815-022-02441-z. View

21.

Haas J, Meriano J, Bassil R, Barzilay E, Zilberberg E, Casper R . Developmental potential of slow-developing embryos: day-5 morulae compared with day-5 cavitating morulae. Fertil Steril. 2018; 111(1):105-111. DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.08.053. View