title: Setting standards for the levels of endotoxin in the embryo culture media of human in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the optimum set standards for the levels of endotoxin in a culture medium for human IVF-ET programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective and randomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred patients underwent 163 cycles of IVF-ET at Fukuoka University Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Measurements for endotoxin were performed using the Limulus Amoebocyte Lysate test. The negative group was administered media with < 1 pg/mL of endotoxin and the positive group was given media with > or = 1 pg/mL of endotoxin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human embryo development, clinical outcomes, and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated in each group and also the levels of endotoxin.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rates of clinical pregnancy (26.1%) and the live birth rates (20.7%) in the negative media were significantly higher than those in the positive media (9.9% and 5.6%, respectively). Rates of embryo development were decreased and a gestational sac and fetal heart beat were not detected in media with > 2 pg/mL of endotoxin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The set standard for the level of endotoxin in a medium should be < 1 pg/mL to obtain the best outcome. The allowable levels of endotoxin in a medium should be < or = 2 pg/mL in human IVF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynceology, School of Medicine, Fukuoka University, Japan.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nagata
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shirakawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003470:Culture Media / Q000378:metabolism*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012015:Reference Standards; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D004731:Endotoxins