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Possible selection of viable human blastocysts after vitrification by monitoring morphological changes

  • Embryo Biology
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Morphological assessment of human blastocysts has been effective for selecting embryos with high potential. However, they often show repeated shrinkage and expansion toward their hatching. Here we assessed whether capturing morphological changes over time of vitrified–warmed blastocysts could lead to a better selection of viable embryos from shrunken blastocysts.

Methods

The implantation rates of vitrified–warmed blastocysts that were shrunken or expanded (developing) at the time of loading for transfer were compared among 2,729 cycles that were subjected to single blastocyst transfer. Vitrified (107) and fresh blastocysts (17) were donated for the experimental study. To assess the relationship between morphology (expanded vs. shrunken) and the mitochondrial respiration of blastocysts, the oxygen consumption rate (OCR) was analyzed for 55 specimens using an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation. The remaining 69 blastocysts were used for recording morphological changes every 15 min for 48 h after warming.

Results

Because there were no surplus embryos, 7 % of the vitrified–warmed blastocysts were shrunken and transferred. The shrunken embryos had sufficient implantation ability (40 %). The OCR of the shrunken embryos was significantly lower than that of their expanded counterparts. Upon exposure to the uncoupler, the OCR of some shrunken embryos increased to levels similar to the expanded specimens. Time-lapse images revealed some shrunken embryos which formed blastocoel by 5 h following warming exhibited developmental competence to the hatched stage.

Conclusions

Data of the present study suggest a group of shrunken blastocysts contains many viable and clinically available embryos and time-lapse observation of vitrified–warmed blastocysts is a potential method to distinguish viable embryos from shrunken blastocysts.

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Acknowledgment

The authors would like to thank Enago (www.enago.jp) for the English language review.

Funding

Part of this work was supported by a grant from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JPS-RFTF 23580397 to S.H.).

Conflict of interest

None declared.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IVF Namba Clinic, Osaka, 550001, Japan

    T. Maezawa, M. Yamanaka, S. Hashimoto, A. Amo, Y. Nakaoka, M. Inoue & Y. Morimoto

  2. IVF Osaka Clinic, Higashi-Osaka, 5770012, Japan

    T. Maezawa, A. Ohgaki & A. Fukuda

  3. Mie University, Tsu, Mie, 5148507, Japan

    T. Maezawa & T. Ikeda

Authors
  1. T. Maezawa
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  2. M. Yamanaka
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  3. S. Hashimoto
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  4. A. Amo
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  5. A. Ohgaki
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  6. Y. Nakaoka
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  7. A. Fukuda
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  8. T. Ikeda
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  9. M. Inoue
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  10. Y. Morimoto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Hashimoto.

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Capsule

Time-lapse imaging paves the way for possible selection of viable blastocysts from shrunken embryos after vitrification.

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Maezawa, T., Yamanaka, M., Hashimoto, S. et al. Possible selection of viable human blastocysts after vitrification by monitoring morphological changes. J Assist Reprod Genet 31, 1099–1104 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0260-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0260-x

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