Embryo transfer after autologous endometrial coculture improves pregnancy rates.
Since the first in-vitro fertilization (IVF) baby born in 1978, the technique of in-vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) has been well established and widely used by clinicians all over the world. However, the success rate of IVF-ET still remains relatively low. Sub-optimal embryo culture condition may consider as a factor contribute to the poor success rate. Autologous endometrial coculture is a newly developed technique able to enhance development of fertilized eggs using the patient's own endometrial cells. A clinical tryout was conducted in our institute. Patients underwent either classic IVF (n = 82) (i.e., control group) or autologous endometrial coculture (n = 134) (i.e., coculture group). The clinical pregnancy rate (per patient) was significantly higher in coculture group (48.5%) than control group (24.3%). Patients were further subgrouped according to their age. For each subgroup, the clinical pregnancy rates were again consistently higher and the miscarriage rates were consistently lower in the coculture group than in the control groups. Coculture also increased clinical pregnancy rate of patients who failed IVF at least twice from 0% to 26.6%. Our data confirmed that autologous endometrial coculture is an effective method to improve the success rate of IVF-ET. The evidence of improving clinical pregnancy rates and reducing abortion rates after coculture suggest that coculture indeed improved success rates by improving embryo quality.
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D000328:Adult; D018920:Coculture Techniques / Q000379:methods; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000166:cytology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000628:therapy*; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous