title: Effects of reactive oxygen species levels in prepared culture media on embryo development: a comparison of two media.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study determined the correlation between the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in prepared culture media and the early development of human embryos.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an autocontrolled comparison study. A total of 159 patients undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment were recruited in this study. The pH values, osmolarity pressures, and ROS levels of 15 batches of two culture media were measured. Sibling oocytes or embryos from individual patients were randomly assigned to two culture groups with Quinn's Advantage Cleavage and Blastocyst media (QAC/QAB) or GIII series cleavage and blastocyst media (G1.3/G2.3). The difference between the two culture groups was analyzed using one-sample t test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The QAC/QAB and G1.3/G2.3 media exhibited similar pH values and osmolarity pressures. However, the prepared QAC/QAB media were characterized to contain lower amounts of ROS than the G1.3/G2.3 media. Furthermore, the blastocysts that developed under the QAC/QAB media were morphologically superior to those that developed under the G1.3/G2.3 media.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elevated ROS levels in culture media were associated with poor development of blastocyst-stage embryos. Measurement of ROS levels may be a valuable process for medium selection or modification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University and Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ying-Fu
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University and Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Division of Infertility Clinic, Lee Women's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tsung-Hsien
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University and Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chung-Hsien
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Division of Infertility Clinic, Lee Women's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: Division of Infertility Clinic, Lee Women's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Chia
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chung Shan Medical University and Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Medicine, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Division of Infertility Clinic, Lee Women's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: msleephd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maw-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003470:Culture Media; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species
keywords: blastocyst; culture media; embryo development; oxidative stress