Human embryo co-culture: results of a randomized prospective study.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate in vitro culture of human embryos in the presence or absence of a Vero cell monolayer.

DESIGN

Randomized prospective analysis.

PATIENTS

Seventy-five couples were randomly allocated to either an experimental study group (embryos in co-culture) or a control group.

RESULTS

A significantly higher cleavage rate (92%) was obtained in the co-culture group compared with the control group (83%). In addition, a higher percentage of morphologically superior embryos was observed in the co-culture group than in the control group, although no significant difference was found between the two groups in blastocyst development or clinical outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

When taking final clinical results into consideration in a routine IVF program, the conventional method provides more practicality and efficiency if transfers are performed on either day 2 or 3. However, if embryos remain in culture, co-culture systems allow for replacements or cryopreservation at the blastocyst stage.