Early cleavage morphology affects the quality and implantation potential of day 3 embryos.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the development and implantation potential of early-cleaved embryos displaying various morphological patterns.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis.


METHODS
Private IVF center.


METHODS
Embryos obtained from 1,556 transfer cycles were assessed. Early-cleaved embryos were grouped according to their cleavage patterns as: even (1,490); uneven (3,238); and fragmented (768), or according to nuclear morphologies as: mononucleation (2,008) and other nuclear morphologies; nonmononucleation (3,488). Seven thousand four hundred forty-five embryos were late cleaved.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Embryo quality, pregnancy (PR), and implantation rates.


RESULTS
Day 3 embryo quality was highest in evenly early-cleaved embryos and in those displaying mononucleation. Early-cleaved embryos displaying fragmentation and late-cleaved embryos yielded the poorest day 3 quality. Early cleavage cycles displayed higher PR and implantation rate than late cleavage with the exception of other nuclear morphologies, in which similar outcome was obtained. Mononucleated early-cleaved embryos implanted at a higher frequency than early-cleaved embryos displaying other nuclear morphologies.


CONCLUSIONS
The morphology of early cleavage correlates to day 3 embryo quality and implantation rate.
Ciray
Haydar Nadir
HN
Bahceci Women Health Care Center, German Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Karagenç
Levent
L
Ulug
Ulun
U
Bener
Faruk
F
Bahçeci
Mustafa
M
D000328:Adult; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies