title: Effect of embryo culture media on birthweight and length in singleton term infants after IVF-ICSI.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate if two distinct, commercially available embryo culture media have a different effect on birthweight and length of singleton term infants conceived after IVF-ICSI.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital based cohort study. Between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2004, patients conceiving through IVF-ICSI at the University Hospital, Lausanne have been allocated to two distinct embryo culture media. Only term singleton pregnancies were analysed (n = 525). Data analysis was performed according to two commercially available culture media: Vitrolife (n = 352) versus Cook (n = 173). Analysis was performed through linear regression adjusted for confounders. Media were considered equivalent if the 95% confidence interval lay between -150 g/+150 g.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Length, gestational age and distribution of birthweight percentiles did not differ between groups (for both genders). Analysis of the whole cohort, adjusted for a subset of confounders, resulted in a statistically not different mean birthweight between the two groups (Vitrolife +37 g vs Cook, 95%CI: -46 g to 119 g) suggesting equivalence. Adjustment for an enlarged number of confounders in a subsample of patients (n = 258) also revealed no relevant mean birthweight difference of +71 g (95%CI: -45 g to 187 g) in favour of Vitrolife; however, lacking power to prove equivalence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that significant differences in birthweight due to these two distinct, commercially available embryo culture media are unlikely.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dorothea
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wunder
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ballabeni
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Neonatology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Roth-Kleiner
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marie-Pierre
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Primi
authors.affiliation: Private Centre for Reproductive Medicine, CPMA, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alfred
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senn
authors.affiliation: Private Centre for Reproductive Medicine, CPMA, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chanson
authors.affiliation: Private Centre for Reproductive Medicine, CPMA, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Germond
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Celine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leyvraz
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D049628:Body Size; D003470:Culture Media; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media