title: The effects of embryo culture media on the birthweight of singletons via fresh or frozen-thawed embryo transfer: a large-scale retrospective study.
abstract: Embryo culture media used for IVF treatment might affect fetal growth and thus birthweight of the newborns.
  
  
  
  A retrospective study was conducted in South China using data from 2370 singleton neonates born after IVF/ICSI between 2009 and 2012. Two culture media, i.e., either Vitrolife or SAGE were used as embryo culture media during the study period. Neonates' birthweights were compared between the two embryo culture media groups.
  
  
  
  Among the 2370 singletons, 1755 cases came from fresh cleavage embryo transfer while 615 were from frozen-thawed cleavage embryo transfer. Within the fresh embryo transfer newborns, no statistical difference was observed in either birthweight (mean ± SD: 3196.0 ± 468.9 versus 3168.4 ± 462.0g, p > 0.05) or adjusted birthweight controlled for gestational age and gender (z-score mean ± SD: 0.11 ± 1.02 versus 0.11 ± 0.99 g, P > 0.05) between the Vitrolife (n = 419) and the SAGE group (n = 1336). Likewise within frozen embryo transfer neotates, no statistical difference of the birthweight (3300.6 ± 441.3 vs.3256.0 ± 466.7 g, P > 0.05) and adjusted birthweight (0.30 ± 0.99 g versus 0.29 ± 0.97 g, P > 0.05) was found between the Vitrolife (n = 202) and the SAGE group (n = 413). The sex ratio [OR1.17, 95 % CI (0.94-1.46)/OR1.1, 95 % CI (0.78-1.54)], rate of small for gestational age [OR1.14, 95 % CI (0.82-1.59)/OR1.06, 95 % CI (0.56-2.02)] and large for gestational age [OR1.07, 95 % CI (0.64-1.76)/OR0.98, 95 % CI (0.47-2.02)] in fresh and frozen-thawed subgourps are all comparable respectively between the two culture media. No group differences were found in the rate of low birthweight and macosomia. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that maternal weight, gestational age, frozen-thawed embryo transfer and infant gender were significantly related to neonatal birthweight (P < 0.001).
  
  
  
  It appears that embryos cultured in SAGE or Vitrolife media after fresh or frozen-thawed cleavage embryo transfer did not affect neonate's birthweight.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-senUniversity, No 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-senUniversity, No 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
authors.forename: Mingfen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-senUniversity, No 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated hospital of SunYat-senUniversity, No 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
authors.forename: Zilian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-senUniversity, No 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China.|Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Chenhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-senUniversity, No 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China. xuyanwen@live.cn.|Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China. xuyanwen@live.cn.
authors.forename: Yanwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive Medical Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of SunYat-senUniversity, No 58 Zhongshan Road 2, Yuexiu District, Guangzhou, 510080, China. zhoucanquan@hotmail.com.|Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China. zhoucanquan@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Canquan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D003470:Culture Media / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007236:Infant, Small for Gestational Age; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media
keywords: Birthweight; Embryo culture medium; IVF; Singleton; Vanishing twin