Comparison of results after in vitro fertilized human embryos are cultured in routine medium and in coculture on Vero cells: a randomized study.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether coculture of human embryos on Vero cells improves embryo viability compared with a routine culture method.


METHODS
In vitro fertilization Clinic of the Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire de Genève, Geneva, Switzerland.


METHODS
Couples who had given informed consent, had undergone < 3 IVF cycles with ET and where the male had normal semen parameters were selected. Patients who had undergone > or = 3 IVF cycles with ET were allocated directly to coculture.


METHODS
Patients were randomly allocated to have their embryos cultured in a routine embryo culture medium or in coculture with Vero cells.


RESULTS
There was no difference in pregnancy rates between the two culture groups. Coculture gave a high (> 50%) rate of blastocyst formation. In 16 cycles where patients had previously undergone > or = 3 IVF cycles 4 patients became pregnant.


CONCLUSIONS
Coculture provides no benefit for patients that are performing their initial treatment cycles in IVF.
Sakkas
D
D
Clinique de Stérilité et d'Endocrinologie Gynécologique, Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire de Genève, Switzerland.
Jaquenoud
N
N
Leppens
G
G
Campana
A
A
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003470:Culture Media; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D014709:Vero Cells / Q000502:physiology*
D003470:Culture Media