title: Effect of micro-environment maintenance on embryo culture after in-vitro fertilization: comparison of top-load mini incubator and conventional front-load incubator.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of microenvironment maintenance on embryo culture and clinical results using two types of incubators.
  
  
  METHODS
  Temperature and oxygen concentration in a mini-incubator and a conventional incubator were compared following a 5-s door opening/closing procedure. Embryos of 30 in-vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cases were randomly allocated to either one of the incubator, cultured, and the early-stage good embryo formation rate and the good blastocyst formation rate were compared, as indicators for micro-environment maintenance ability.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Temperature recovery after a 5-s door opening/closing procedure was approximately 5 min for the mini-incubator and 30 min for the conventional incubator. The oxygen concentration return was significantly improved in the mini-incubator (3.0 +/- 0 min) compared with the conventional incubator (7.8 +/- 0.9 min). Both the early-stage good embryo formation rate and the good blastocyst formation rate were significantly higher in the mini-incubator (39.5% and 15.1%) than the conventional incubator (28.4% and 7.8%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The microenvironment maintenance ability of incubators appears to significantly influence the formation of good embryos.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shiga University of Medical Science, Seta-Tsukinowa-cho, Ohtsu, Shiga, 520-2192, Japan.
authors.forename: Mutsuko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujiwara
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Izuno
authors.forename: Ya Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Maya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazono
authors.forename: Fuminori
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
mesh_terms: D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007185:Incubators; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen