title: Morphokinetics of vitrified and warmed blastocysts predicts implantation potential.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It was studied whether morphokinetics of blastocoele re-expansion and hatching in vitrified-warmed blastocysts is predictive of implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 144 patients aiming for single warmed blastocyst transfer, blastocysts were cultured in a new time-lapse system (Miri® TL) immediately after warming. Video sequences with an image interval of 5 min were annotated and the corresponding morphokinetic variables were correlated with pregnancy outcome. In detail, tRE (start of re-expansion), tCRE (completion of re-expansion), tAH (hatching from the manipulated zona pellucida), and presence of collapses were recorded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the pregnant group, tRE and tCRE were significantly lower (0.69 ± 0.45 h and 2.16 ± 0.94 h) as compared to the non-pregnant group (1.23 ± 1.08 h and 2.70 ± 1.20 h). Both variables and the duration of re-expansion (tCRE-tRE) allowed for distinction between "non-pregnant," "loss of pregnancy," and live birth/ongoing pregnancy. Presence and number of collapses showed no correlation with outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Time-lapse imaging of vitrified-warmed blastocysts offers additional selection criteria allowing for prediction of implantation potential. As a consequence, cumulative pregnancy rate could be increased and time-to-pregnancy reduced.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University Clinic, Campus IV, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, A-4020, Linz, Austria. thomas.ebner@gespag.at.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ebner
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University Clinic, Campus IV, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, A-4020, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oppelt
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University Clinic, Campus IV, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, A-4020, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Radler
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University Clinic, Campus IV, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, A-4020, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Allerstorfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University Clinic, Campus IV, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, A-4020, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Habelsberger
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University Clinic, Campus IV, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, A-4020, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Mayer
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Gynecological Endocrinology, Kepler University Clinic, Campus IV, Krankenhausstr. 26-30, A-4020, Linz, Austria.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shebl
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D010064:Embryo Implantation / Q000502:physiology*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D050498:Live Birth; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D013696:Temperature; D059008:Time-Lapse Imaging; D058989:Vitrification
keywords: Blastocyst re-expansion; Blastocyst vitrification; Hatching; Morphokinetics; Time-lapse imaging