title: A prospective randomized study comparing the outcome of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer following culture of human embryos individually or in groups before embryo transfer on day 2.
abstract: A prospective randomized trial of in-vitro fertilization and embryo transfer was undertaken to investigate the reported beneficial effects of culturing preimplantation human embryos in groups, rather than individually. A total of 159 treatment cycles, in which the women were matched for age, basal gonadotrophin concentrations and number of previous attempts, were included in the study. Of these, 78 cycles were randomized to the 'individual culture' group, and 81 cycles were randomized to the 'group culture' group. The groups did not differ in terms of the median number of oocytes or embryos obtained per cycle. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of treatment outcome, as assessed by pregnancies or clinical pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Nuffield Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Spyropoulou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karamalegos
authors.forename: V N
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Bolton
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome