Noninvasive methods to assess embryo quality

Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Volumn 17, Issue 3, 2005, Pages 283-288

  Sakkas, Denny ^a   Gardner, David K ^b  

^a YALE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE   (United States)

^b National Foundation for Fertility Research   (United States)

Author keywords

Embryo assessment; Embryo metabolism; Embryo selection; Embryo transfer; Multiple pregnancies

Indexed keywords

BLASTOCYST; EMBRYO TRANSFER; FERTILIZATION IN VITRO; MULTIPLE PREGNANCY; PREGNANCY RATE; PRIORITY JOURNAL; REPRODUCTION; REVIEW;

EID: 18944364521     PISSN: 1040872X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/01.gco.0000169106.69881.3e     Document Type: Review

References (61)

1. Templeton A, Morris JK. Reducing the risk of multiple births by transfer of two embryos after in vitro fertilization. N Engl J Med 1998; 339:573-577.
2. Templeton A. Assessing the outcome of IVF. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2000; 900:345-350.
3. Templeton A. Avoiding multiple pregnancies in ART: replace as many embryos as you like-one at a time. Hum Reprod 2000; 15:1662.
4. Bergh T, Ericson A, Hillensjo T, et al. Deliveries and children born after in-vitro fertilisation in Sweden 1982-95: a retrospective cohort study. Lancet 1999; 354:1579-1585.
5. nd ed. London: Taylor and Francis; 2004. pp. 211-234. This excellent review on embryo culture covers both theoretical and technical aspects.
6. Adashi EY, Barri PN, Berkowitz R, et al. Infertility therapy-associated multiple pregnancies (births): an ongoing epidemic. Reprod Biomed Online 2003; 7:515-542.
7. Edwards RG, Fishel SB, Cohen J, et al. Factors influencing the success of in vitro fertilization for alleviating human infertility. J In Vitro Fert Embryo Transf 1984; 1:3-23.
8. Tesarik J, Greco E. The probability of abnormal preimplantation development can be predicted by a single static observation on pronuclear stage morphology. Human Reprod 1999; 14:318-323.
9. Ebner T, Moser M, Tews G. Developmental potential of human pronuclear zygotes in relation to their pronuclear orientation. Hum Reprod 2004; 19:1925-1926.
10. Ebner T, Moser M, Sommergruber M, et al. Presence, but not type or degree of extension, of a cytoplasmic halo has a significant influence on preimplantation development and implantation behaviour. Hum Reprod 2003; 18:2406-2412.
11. Nagy ZP, Dozortsev D, Diamond M, et al. Pronuclear morphology evaluation with subsequent evaluation of embryo morphology significantly increases implantation rates. Fertil Steril 2003; 80:67-74.
12. Kattera S, Chen C. Developmental potential of human pronuclear zygotes in relation to their pronuclear orientation. Hum Reprod 2004; 19:294-299. The above four references all provide an insight into the impact of pronuclear stage morphology on viability.
13. Gianaroli L, Magli MC, Ferraretti AP, et al. Pronuclear morphology and chromosomal abnormalities as scoring criteria for embryo selection. Fertil Steril 2003; 80:341-349.
14. Gamiz P, Rubio C, los Santos MJ, et al. The effect of pronuclear morphology on early development and chromosomal abnormalities in cleavage-stage embryos. Hum Reprod 2003; 18:2413-2419.
15. Hardy K, Winston RM, Handyside AH. Binucleate blastomeres in preimplantation human embryos in vitro: failure of cytokinesis during early cleavage. J Reprod Fertil 1993; 98:549-558.
16. Van Royen E, Mangelschots K, Vercruyssen M, et al. Multinucleation in cleavage stage embryos. Hum Reprod 2003; 18:1062-1069.
17. Yakin K, Balaban B, Urman B. Impact of the presence of one or more multinucleated blastomeres on the developmental potential of the embryo to the blastocyst stage. Fertil Steril 2005; 83:243-245.
18. Sakkas D, Shoukir Y, Chardonnens D, et al. Early cleavage of human embryos to the two-cell stage after intracytoplasmic sperm injection as an indicator of embryo viability. Human Reproduction 1998; 13:182-187.
19. Shoukir Y, Campana A, Farley T, Sakkas D. Early cleavage of in-vitro fertilized human embryos to the 2-cell stage: a novel indicator of embryo quality and viability. Hum Reprod 1997; 12:O225.
20. Sakkas D, Percival G, D'Arcy Y, et al. Assessment of early cleaving in vitro fertilized human embryos at the 2-cell stage before transfer improves embryo selection. Fertil Steril 2001; 76:1150-1156.
21. Scott LA, Smith S. The successful use of pronuclear embryo transfers the day following oocyte retrieval. Hum Reprod 1998; 13:1003-1013.
22. Salumets A, Hyden-Granskog C, Makinen S, et al. Early cleavage predicts the viability of human embryos in elective single embryo transfer procedures. Hum Reprod 2003; 18:821-825.
23. Van Montfoort APA, Dumoulin JCM, Kester ADM, Evers JLH. Early cleavage is a valuable addition to existing embryo selection parameters: a study using single embryo transfers. Hum Reprod 2004; 19:2103-2108. The above two references both provide convincing evidence from using single embryo transfer that early cleavage to the two-cell stage has an impact on embryo viability.
24. Gerris J, De Neubourg D, Mangelschots K, et al. Prevention of twin pregnancy after in-vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection based on strict embryo criteria: a prospective randomized clinical trial. Hum Reprod 1999; 14:2581-2587.
25. Van Royen E, Mangelschots K, De Neubourg D, et al. Characterization of a top quality embryo, a step towards single-embryo transfer. Hum Reprod 1999; 14:2345-2349.
26. De Neubourg D, Gerris J, Mangelschots K, et al. Single top quality embryo transfer as a model for prediction of early pregnancy outcome. Hum Reprod 2004; 19:1476-1479.
27. Buster JE, Bustillo M, Rodi IA, et al. Biologic and morphologic development of donated human ova recovered by nonsurgical uterine lavage. Am J Obstet Gynecol 1985; 153:211-217.
28. Gardner DK, Schoolcraft WB, Wagley L, et al. A prospective randomized trial of blastocyst culture and transfer in in-vitro fertilization. Hum Reprod 1998; 13:3434-3440.
29. Behr B, Pool TB, Milki AA, et al. Preliminary clinical experience with human blastocyst development in vitro without co-culture. Hum Reprod 1999; 14:454-457.
30. Milki AA, Fisch JD, Behr B. Two-blastocyst transfer has similar pregnancy rates and a decreased multiple gestation rate compared with three-blastocyst transfer. Fertil Steril 1999; 72:225-228.
31. Van der Auwera I, Debrock S, Spiessens C, et al. A prospective randomized study: day 2 versus day 5 embryo transfer. Hum Reprod 2002; 17:1507-1512.
32. Gardner DK, Lane M, Stevens J, et al. Blastocyst score affects implantation and pregnancy outcome: towards a single blastocyst transfer. Fertil Steril 2000; 73:1155-1158.
33. Gardner DK, Surrey E, Minjarez D, et al. Single blastocyst transfer: a prospective randomized trial. Fertil Steril 2004; 81:551-555. This provides an impressive indicator that single blastocyst transfer can work in an American clinic without jeopardizing pregnancy rates.
34. Marek D, Langley M, Gardner DK, et al. Introduction of blastocyst culture and transfer for all patients in an in vitro fertilization program. Fertil Steril 1999; 72:1035-1040.
35. Dickey RP, Pyrzak R. Extraordinary implantation rates with fresh blastocyst transfer: better culture conditions or selection of the best patients? [letter; comment] Hum Reprod 1999; 14:2178-2180.
36. Wilson M, Hartke K, Kiehl M, et al. Integration of blastocyst transfer for all patients. Fertil Steril 2002; 77:693-696.
37. Blake DA, Proctor M, Johnson NP. The merits of blastocyst versus cleavage stage embryo transfer: a Cochrane review. Hum Reprod 2004; 19:795-807.
38. Wilson M, Hartke K, Kiehl M, et al. Transfer of blastocysts and morulae on day 5. Fertil Steril 2004; 82:327-333.
39. nd ed. London: Taylor and Francis; 2004. pp. 235-245.
40. Gerris J, De Neubourg D, Mangelschots K, et al. Elective single day 3 embryo transfer halves the twinning rate without decrease in the ongoing pregnancy rate of an IVF/ICSI programme. Hum Reprod 2002; 17:2626-2631.
41. Fisch JD, Rodriguez H, Ross R, et al. The Graduated Embryo Score (GES) predicts blastocyst formation and pregnancy rate from cleavage-stage embryos. Hum Reprod 2001; 16:1970-1975.
42. Neuber E, Rinaudo P, Trimarchi JR, Sakkas D. Sequential assessment of individually cultured human embryos as an indicator of subsequent good quality blastocyst development. Hum Reprod 2003; 18:1307-1312.
43. Renard JP, Philippon A, Menezo Y. In-vitro uptake of glucose by bovine blastocysts. J Reprod Fertil 1980; 58:161-164.
44. Gardner DK, Leese HJ. Assessment of embryo viability prior to transfer by the noninvasive measurement of glucose uptake. J Exp Zool 1987; 242:103-105.
45. Conaghan J, Hardy K, Handyside AH, et al. Selection criteria for human embryo transfer: a comparison of pyruvate uptake and morphology. J Assist Reprod Genet 1993; 10:21-30.
46. Jones GM, Trounson A, Vella PJ, et al. Glucose metabolism of human morula and blastocyst-stage embryos and its relationship to viability after transfer. RBM Online 2001; 3:124-132.
47. Van den Bergh M, Devreker F, Emiliani S, Englert Y. Glycolytic activity: a possible tool for human blastocyst selection. Reprod Biomed Online 2001; 3(Suppl 1):8.
48. Lane M, Gardner DK. Selection of viable mouse blastocysts prior to transfer using a metabolic criterion. Hum Reprod 1996; 11:1975-1978.
49. Gardner DK, Lane M, Stevens J, Schoolcraft WB. Noninvasive assessment of human embryo nutrient consumption as a measure of developmental potential. Fertil Steril 2001; 76:1175-1180.
50. Houghton FD, Hawkhead JA, Humpherson PG, et al. Non-invasive amino acid turnover predicts human embryo developmental capacity. Hum Reprod 2002; 17:999-1005.
51. Brison DR, Houghton FD, Falconer D, et al. Identification of viable embryos in IVF by non-invasive measurement of amino acid turnover. Hum Reprod 2004; 19:2319-2324. This interesting study identified some key amino acids which could in the future be used to monitor embryos.
52. Trimarchi JR, Liu L, Porterfield DM, et al. A non-invasive method for measuring preimplantation embryo physiology. Zygote 2000; 8:15-24.
53. Trimarchi JR, Liu L, Smith PJ, Keefe DL. Noninvasive measurement of potassium efflux as an early indicator of cell death in mouse embryos. Biol Reprod 2000; 63:851-857.
54. Kovats S, Main EK, Librach C, et al. A class I antigen, HLA-G, expressed in human trophoblasts. Science 1990; 248:220-223.
55. Jurisicova A, Casper RF, MacLusky NJ, et al. HLA-G expression during preimplantation human embryo development. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1996; 93:161-165.
56. Noci I, Fuzzi B, Rizzo R, et al. Embryonic soluble HLA-G as a marker of developmental potential in embryos. Hum Reprod 2005; 20:138-146.
57. Sher G, Keskintepe L, Nouriani M, et al. Expression of sHLA-G in supernatants of individually cultured 46-h embryos: a potentially valuable indicator of 'embryo competency' and IVF outcome. Reprod Biomed Online 2004; 9:74-78.
58. Yie SM, Balakier H, Motamedi G, Librach CL. Secretion of human leukocyte antigen-G by human embryos is associated with a higher in vitro fertilization pregnancy rate. Fertil Steril 2005; 83:30-36. The above three papers all showed that the presence of HLA-G in the culture media may be used as an indicator of embryo viability and that this molecule and its association with the early embryo warrants extensive research.
59. Sakkas D, Lu C, Zulfikaroglu E, et al. A soluble molecule secreted by human blastocysts modulates regulation of H0XA10 expression in an epithelial endometrial cell line. Fertil Steril 2003; 80:1169-1174.
60. Chui DK, Pugh ND, Walker SM, et al. Follicular vascularity: the predictive value of transvaginal power Doppler ultrasonography in an in-vitro fertilization programme. A preliminary study. Hum Reprod 1997; 12:191-196.
61. McKenzie LJ, Pangas SA, Carson SA, et al. Human cumulus granulosa cell gene expression: a predictor of fertilization and embryo selection in women undergoing IVF. Hum Reprod 2004; 19:2869-2874. This excellent paper shows that other markers may be used to predict embryo quality.