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Effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor supplementation in culture medium on embryo quality and pregnancy outcome of women aged over 35 years

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore whether a low concentration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) supplementation in culture medium is beneficial to infertile women aged over 35 years.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the embryo quality and pregnancy outcome of 212 controlled ovarian stimulation (COH) cycles with or without GM-CSF addition (n = 117 [GM-CSF, 0.2 ng/mL] vs n = 95 [control]).

Results

No significant difference was observed in cleavage rate (96.2 vs 96.5 %), blastocyst formation rate (53.2 vs 54.0 %), good blastocyst rate (26.8 vs 26.8 %), or available embryo rate (54.2 vs 49.7 %) between the GM-CSF group and the control group. However, the average age of the GM-CSF group (38.41 ± 3.13 years) was significantly 1 year older than that of the corresponding control group (37.45 ± 2.74 years) (P < 0.05). GM-CSF addition greatly decreased the occurrence of biochemical pregnancy (55.6 % [control] vs 20.8 % [GM-CSF], P < 0.05). No case of neonatal malformation was observed in the present study.

Conclusion

Although no benefit of GM-CSF on embryo quality was observed, the addition of this factor significantly decreased the occurrence of chemical pregnancy of women aged over 35 years, indicating the role of GM-CSF in improving implantation competence of embryos derived from elderly infertile women.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81471511, 81270753, 81370758) and the Personnel Training Plan of The Health Care System of Beijing (2013-3-021, 2013-2-009).

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Medical Center for Human Reproduction, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, People’s Republic of China

      Wenhui Zhou, Dapeng Chu, Wei Sha, Lei Fu & Yuan Li

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    1. Wenhui Zhou
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    2. Dapeng Chu
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    3. Wei Sha
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    4. Lei Fu
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    5. Yuan Li
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    Correspondence to Yuan Li.

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    Capsule

    Although no benefit of GM-CSF on embryo quality was observed, the addition of this factor significantly decreased the occurrence of chemical pregnancy of women aged over 35 years, indicating the role of GM-CSF in improving implantation competence of embryos derived from elderly infertile women.

    Wenhui Zhou and Dapeng Chu contributed equally to this work.

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    Zhou, W., Chu, D., Sha, W. et al. Effects of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor supplementation in culture medium on embryo quality and pregnancy outcome of women aged over 35 years. J Assist Reprod Genet 33, 39–47 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0627-7

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-015-0627-7

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