title: Prostacyclin enhances the implantation and live birth potentials of mouse embryos.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently we reported that iloprost, a stable analogue of prostacyclin, enhanced mouse embryo hatching. Here we present a follow-up study to determine whether exposure to iloprost augments the implantation and live birth potentials of mouse embryos.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two-cell embryos (C3B6F1) were harvested 42 h after HCG injection and cultured in medium supplemented with iloprost. After 48 h, the embryos were transferred to 2.5 day pseudopregnant gestational carriers. The number of gestation sacs was counted 72 h later; the number of live pups and the weight of pups and placentae were determined 14 days later. The implantation rate was defined as gestation sac per embryo transferred; the live birth rate was defined as live pup per embryo transferred.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prostacyclin analogue enhanced the implantation rate from 42 to 76% [relative risk 1.84, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.38-2.43]. The rate of live pups also increased from 28 to 36% (relative risk 1.28, 95% CI 1.04-1.56). The weights of the pups and of the placentae of the two groups were comparable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prostacyclin enhances the potentials of implantation and live birth of mouse embryos.
authors.affiliation: The University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, Obstetrics and Gynecology-Division of Reproductive Endocrinology, Houston, TX 77030, USA. jaou-chen.huang@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: J-C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Goldsby
authors.forename: W-S A
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Wun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001724:Birth Weight; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D005260:Female; D016285:Iloprost / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011464:Epoprostenol; D016285:Iloprost