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Reduced blastocyst formation in reduced culture volume

  • Embryo Biology
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this prospective sibling oocyte study was to evaluate whether reduced culture volume improves blastocyst formation.

Methods

Twenty-three patients with extended embryo culture until day 5 were selected for the study. After injection, 345 sibling oocytes were individually cultured in either 25 or 7 μl droplets of Origio cleavage medium under oil. On day 3 of development, embryos were transferred to droplets with the corresponding volume of Origio blastocyst culture medium. Fertilization and embryo quality on day 3 and day 5/6 were evaluated.

Results

No statistically significant difference (p = 0.326) in fertilization rate was observed (81.3 versus 83.0 %). There was no significant difference in terms of the number of excellent and good-quality embryos obtained on day 3 between both groups (p = 0.655). Embryo culture in 25 μl droplets led to more embryos with a higher cell number when compared to 7 μl culture (p = 0.024). On day 3, 132 and 131 embryos were considered for further culture until day 5/6. Blastulation rates were significantly higher in the 25 μl group (75.0 versus 61.6 %; p = 0.017) and significantly more day 5 embryos with excellent and good quality were found in this group (54.5 versus 40.5 %; p = 0.026). Finally, the utilization rates expressed per mature oocyte (41.4 versus 29.8 %; p = 0.043), per fertilized oocyte (50.7 versus 36.6 %; p = 0.023), and per day 3 embryo undergoing extended culture to day 5/6 (54.5 versus 39.7 %; p = 0.019) were all significantly higher in the 25 μl group.

Conclusion

Reduced culture volume (7 μl) negatively impacts early development by reducing the cell number on day 3 and both blastocyst formation and quality.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, UZ Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, Brussels, Belgium

    N. De Munck, S. Santos-Ribeiro, I. Mateizel & G. Verheyen

  2. Department of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Medicine, Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, Lisbon, 1649-035, Portugal

    S. Santos-Ribeiro

Authors
  1. N. De Munck
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  2. S. Santos-Ribeiro
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  3. I. Mateizel
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  4. G. Verheyen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to N. De Munck.

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Capsule

Reducing culture volume from 25 to 7 µl significantly reduces blastocyst formation and quality.

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De Munck, N., Santos-Ribeiro, S., Mateizel, I. et al. Reduced blastocyst formation in reduced culture volume. J Assist Reprod Genet 32, 1365–1370 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0541-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0541-z

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