Vitrification of human blastocysts using cryoloops: clinical outcome of 223 cycles.
BACKGROUND
The need to cryopreserve human blastocysts is increasing. The successful birth has been reported of a baby from a blastocyst vitrified using the cryoloop technique. The present study expands on this earlier report to confirm the effectiveness of this vitrification procedure.


METHODS
In patients undergoing IVF at one of three clinics, supernumerary blastocysts on day 5 or 6 at various stages of development were vitrified using cryoloops.


RESULTS
Of 725 vitrified blastocysts, 583 (80.4%) survived. After the transfer of 493 blastocysts in 207 cycles, 76 women (37%) became clinically pregnant. Among these women, 21 pregnancies ended in miscarriage, 23 healthy babies were born in 18 deliveries, and 37 pregnancies are ongoing. The survival rate of day 5 blastocysts (87%) was higher than that of day 6 blastocysts (55%), but implantation rates and pregnancy rates were not statistically significantly different.


CONCLUSIONS
Clinical outcomes with 725 blastocysts and 207 transfers showed that vitrification using cryoloops is effective and practical for the cryopreservation of human blastocysts. Early blastocysts on day 5 seem to be the most suitable in terms of stage and age for cryopreservation, but developed and day 6 blastocysts can also be cryopreserved.
Mukaida
T
T
Hiroshima HART Clinic, 5-7-10 Ohtemchi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, Osaka HART Clinic, Snowcrystal 10F 2-6-20, Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan.
Nakamura
S
S
Tomiyama
T
T
Wada
S
S
Oka
C
C
Kasai
M
M
Takahashi
K
K
D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome