Evaluation of the safety of time-lapse observations for human embryos.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the effects of light from an integrated optical microscope and evaluate the safety of time-lapse observations using a built-in microscope incubator.


METHODS
We prospectively compared the fertilization rate and embryonic morphology after intracytoplasmic sperm injection between embryos cultured with time-lapse observations every 15 min in an incubator with an integrated optical microscope and embryos with intermittent observations (once a day) in conventional incubators.


RESULTS
No significant differences were observed in the fertilization rate (57.5% vs. 57.5%) or the rate of excellent-good cleavage embryos (36.0% vs. 36.0%).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that time-lapse observations using an incubator with an integrated optical microscope may therefore be safely utilized in clinical practice.
Nakahara
Tatsuo
T
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, 466-8550, Japan.
Iwase
Akira
A
Goto
Maki
M
Harata
Toko
T
Suzuki
Miyabi
M
Ienaga
Miki
M
Kobayashi
Harumi
H
Takikawa
Sachiko
S
Manabe
Shuichi
S
Kikkawa
Fumitaka
F
Ando
Hisao
H
D000328:Adult; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000502:physiology / Q000528:radiation effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D006801:Humans; D007185:Incubators; D008027:Light / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D010784:Photomicrography / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012449:Safety; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic