title: Survival of cryopreservation and thawing with all blastomeres intact identifies multicell embryos with superior frozen embryo transfer outcome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the impact of survival of cryopreservation and thawing with all blastomeres intact on the outcome of multicell frozen ET.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic assisted reproductive technology program.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred sixteen exclusively multicell frozen ETs in 78 patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frozen ET.
  
  
  METHODS
  Relation of embryonic blastomere survival to the outcome of frozen ET (i.e., pregnancy).
  
  
  RESULTS
  When at least one embryo survived with all blastomeres intact, the total pregnancy rate (biochemical, clinical, or delivered) was 37.7%, the clinical pregnancy rate was 24.6%, and the delivered pregnancy rate was 18.8%. When no embryo survived with all blastomeres intact, the corresponding rates were 10.6%, 8.5%, and 6.4%. The differences in the total pregnancy rate and the clinical pregnancy rate were statistically significant. The delivered pregnancy rates approached statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Multicell embryonic survival of cryopreservation and thawing with all blastomeres intact identifies embryos with superior developmental potential.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, 78284-7836, USA.
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: T W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Gaudet
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Y R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Leal
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schoen
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Eddy
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Schenken
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000502:physiology*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D015925:Cryopreservation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D018587:Oocyte Donation; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin