Source
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To examine the relationship of early human embryonic development parameters to day 3 reactive oxygen species (D-3 ROS) levels in culture media.
DESIGN:
Prospective study.
SETTING:
Tertiary care hospital.
PATIENT(S):
Patients were undergoing IVF (n=92; 36 with intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]).
INTERVENTION(S):
The D-3 ROS levels in sample and control of each embryo culture dish were measured by the chemiluminescence method using a luminol probe.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S):
Embryo quality (days 3 and 5) and pregnancy rates (PR).
RESULT(S):
The D-3 ROS level was significantly lower in pregnant cycles 26.8±13.9×10(6) cpm (counted photon per minute) versus nonpregnant cycles 66.4±39.4×10(6) cpm. This relationship was maintained when the cycles were stratified to conventional IVF (27.1±14.95 vs. 67.0±39.9×10(6) cpm) or ICSI (25.6±12.75 vs. 65.5±39.7×10(6) cpm). After controlling for all variables, D-3 ROS levels were negatively correlated with blastocyst development rate as well as PR. Odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval [CI]) of clinical pregnancy corresponding to a 10×10(6) cpm increase in D-3 ROS was 0.47 (0.30-0.74) for ICSI and 0.56 (0.37-0.85) for IVF.
CONCLUSION(S):
During extended in vitro culture, ROS generated in culture media by day 3 may be an important biochemical marker for blastulation. An increase of 10 units in D-3 ROS may decrease the clinical pregnancy by 41%.
Copyright © 2010 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.