Blastocyst Culture Using Time-lapse in Good Prognosis IVF Patients and Elective Single Embryo Transfer

Blastocyst Culture Using Time-lapse in Good Prognosis IVF Patients and Elective Single Embryo Transfer

Choosing the best embryo for transfer has become the major challenge in in vitro fertilization (IVF). Morphology alone is obviously not enough and time-lapse incubation has added embryo development kinetics as another selection criterion.

This study was designed to select for the top blastocyst to be replaced, while increasing the pregnancy chance, with the local legislation regulating the number of embryos to be transferred and to establish a morphokinetic standard to be used in our clinical setting.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients in their first or second ART treatment cycle
• no recurrent spontaneous abortions
• age<35 years
• BMI<28 kg/m2
• ≥8 oocytes retrieved

Exclusion Criteria:

• severe endometriosis
• polycystic ovary syndrome
• hydrosalpynx
• uterine pathology
• severe male factor (presenting less than 5 million motile sperm cells in total in the ejaculate)
• very severe morphological sperm defects (mainly globozoospermic or macrocephalic samples)