title: A multicenter prospective study to assess the effect of early cleavage on embryo quality, implantation, and live-birth rate.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of early cleavage (EC) on embryo quality, implantation, and live-birth rates.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven hundred embryo transfers and 1,028 early-stage human embryos.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Implantation according to the presence of EC and embryo quality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of EC is associated with embryo quality, especially in cycles with autologous oocytes. However, the use of EC as an additional criterion for selecting an embryo for transfer does not appear to significantly improve likelihood of implantation. Furthermore, embryos that presented EC had live-birth rates per implanted embryo similar to those that did not show any sign of cleavage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  At least for conventional embryo culture and morphologic evaluations, the additional evaluation of EC in embryos may not be valuable to improve embryo implantation.
authors: IVI Valencia, Valencia, Spain. Electronic address: mariajose.delossantos@ivi.es.
authors: Maria José
authors: MJ
authors: de los Santos
authors: Institut Universitari Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Gemma
authors: G
authors: Arroyo
authors: Centro Ginecológico Santiago Dexeus, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Ana
authors: A
authors: Busquet
authors: IVI Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Gloria
authors: G
authors: Calderón
authors: Ginefiv, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Cuadros
authors: Mas Vida Reproducción, Sevilla, Spain.
authors: Maria Victoria
authors: MV
authors: Hurtado de Mendoza
authors: Quirón Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Moragas
authors: IVI Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
authors: Raquel
authors: R
authors: Herrer
authors: CERHA, Badajoz, Spain.
authors: Agueda
authors: A
authors: Ortiz
authors: URA Teknon, Barcelona, Spain.
authors: Carme
authors: C
authors: Pons
authors: Instituto Bernabeu, Alicante, Spain.
authors: Jorge
authors: J
authors: Ten
authors: Hospital Torrecárdenas, Almeria, Spain.
authors: Miguel Angel
authors: MA
authors: Vilches
authors: El Centro de la Fertilidad, Marbella, Spain.
authors: Maria José
authors: MJ
authors: Figueroa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000473:pathology*; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Early cleavage; embryo quality; implantation; live-birth rates