title: Comparison of in-vitro development of embryos originating from either conventional in-vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
abstract: In this retrospective study on 1628 consecutive cycles performed during a period of 4 years, development in vitro is compared of embryos obtained after either conventional in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). At 39-42 h after insemination or injection, embryos obtained after ICSI were significantly (P < 0.01) further developed (mean cell number 3.48 +/- 0.03) as compared with those obtained after IVF (3.22 +/- 0.03), whereas after 63-66 h of in-vitro development this difference was no longer present (mean cell number 6.11 +/- 0.15 versus 6.09 +/- 0.13 respectively). Culture of surplus embryos obtained after IVF resulted in a significantly higher (P < 0.001) mean incidence of blastocyst formation per cycle as compared with the ICSI group (31.8 +/- 1.9 versus 23.0 +/- 1.4 respectively). Blastocysts from both groups consisted of comparable numbers of cells. Blastocyst formation was also significantly higher when embryos were cultured in groups (31.2 +/- 1.8) compared to single culture (23.1 +/- 1.5; P < 0.01), in human tubal fluid (HTF) medium (29.2 +/- 1.7) compared with IVF-50(TM) medium (24.2 +/- 1.6; P < 0.01), and when they were cultured under 5% O(2) (30.3 +/- 1.5) compared with 20% O(2) (21.7 +/- 1.7; P < 0.01). In all culture conditions used, the mean incidence of blastocyst formation per cycle showed comparable differences in favour of the IVF group as compared with the ICSI group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Academic Hospital, University of Maastricht, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dumoulin
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Coonen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bras
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: van Wissen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ignoul-Vanvuchelen
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bergers-Jansen
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Derhaag
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Geraedts
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Evers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic