Clinical validation of an automatic classification algorithm applied on cleavage stage embryos: analysis for blastulation, euploidy, implantation, and live-birth potential.

Study Question: Is a commercially available embryo assessment algorithm for early embryo evaluation based on the automatic annotation of morphokinetic timings a useful tool for embryo selection in IVF cycles?

Summary Answer: The classification provided by the algorithm was shown to be significantly predictive, especially when combined with conventional morphological evaluation, for development to blastocyst, implantation, and live birth, but not for euploidy.

What Is Known Already: The gold standard for embryo selection is still morphological evaluation conducted by embryologists. Since the introduction of time-lapse technology to embryo culture, many algorithms for embryo selection have been developed based on embryo morphokinetics, providing complementary information to morphological evaluation.

Automatic time-lapse instrument is superior to single-point morphology observation for selecting viable embryos: retrospective study in oocyte donation.

Objective: To correlate the different categories provided by a commercial diagnostic test with blastocyst formation, quality, implantation potential, and ongoing pregnancy (OPR) for the purpose of validating the automatic annotations and the classification algorithm.

Design: Observational, retrospective, multicenter cohort study.

Setting: University-affiliated private IVF center.

Collapse of blastocysts is strongly related to lower implantation success: a time-lapse study.

Study Question: Is there an association between blastocyst collapse patterns and implantation potential?

Summary Answer: Embryos that exhibit collapse are as likely to hatch as those that do not, but are less likely to implant and should not be replaced if alternatives are available.

What Is Known Already: Studies of blastocyst collapse in different species of mammals have found that most blastocysts, that experience consecutive weak contractions, hatch successfully whereas those that exhibit strong contractions or collapse, fail to hatch.

Study Design, Size, Duration: Retrospective cohort study.

Predictive variables of in vitro fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development in the mouse.

The present study aims to analyze the cause-effect relationships among several in-vitro fertilization and pre-implantation embryo development variables in the mouse. Superovulation of hybrid (C57Bl/6JIco female X CBA/JIco male) female mice of 4-6 weeks of age was induced by a priming injection of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin at the estrus stage of the estrous cycle followed after a 48-hr interval by human chrorionic gonadotropin. Ovulated cumulus-enclosed oocytes were inseminated with sperm from hybrid males of 12-16 weeks of age.

Stage of the estrous cycle at the time of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin injection affects pre-implantation embryo development in vitro in the mouse.

The present study aims to analyze in the mouse the effect of the stage of the estrous cycle at the time of pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) injection on fertilization of ovulated cumulus-enclosed oocytes and later embryo development in vitro to the blastocyst stage. Quality of blastocysts was evaluated by staining and counting of total number of nuclei, mitotic index, percentage of apoptotic nuclei, and cell allocation to the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) lineage. Superovulation of hybrid (C57Bl/6JIco female x CBA/JIco male) female mice of 4-6 weeks of age was induced by a priming injection of PMSG at different stages of the estrous cycle followed after a 48-hr interval by human chrorionic gonadotropin.