title: [Association of human chorionic gonadotropin level in embryo culture media with early embryo development].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) level on day 3 of embryo culture with embryo development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Spent culture media were collected from individually cultured embryos on day 3 of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles. HCG concentration in the culture media was measured using an ELISA kit and its association with embryo development was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 163 samples of embryo culture media from 60 patients, HCG was positive in 153 sample (93.8%) with a mean level of 0.85 ± 0.43 mIU/ml. The concentration of hCG in the culture media increased gradually as the number of blastomeres increased (F=2.273, P=0.03), and decreased as the morphological grade of the embryo was lowered (F=3.900, P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ELISA is capable of detecting HCG levels in spent culture media of embryos on day 3 of in vitro culture. The concentration of HCG in spent culture media is positively correlated with the status of early embryo development and implantation rate and thus serves as a useful marker for embryo selection in IVF-ET procedure.
authors: Center of Reproductive Medicine, Guangdong General Hospital/ Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou 510080, China. E-mail: wanghaiying_139@163.com.
authors: Haiying
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: Renli
authors: R
authors: Zhang
authors: Dong
authors: D
authors: Han
authors: Caixia
authors: C
authors: Liu
authors: Jiajie
authors: J
authors: Cai
authors: Yanling
authors: Y
authors: Bi
authors: Anmin
authors: A
authors: Wen
authors: Song
authors: S
authors: Quan
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000737:chemistry; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000737:chemistry*; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D003470:Culture Media