A simplified coculture system with luteinized granulosa cells improves embryo quality and implantation rates: a controlled study.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the use of a simplified short-term coculture system with luteinized granulosa cells (GCs) in patients with failed IVF-ET.

DESIGN

Controlled clinical study.

SETTING

IVF unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Carmel Medical Center.

PATIENT(S): Patients with poor embryo quality in their previous IVF-ET cycles.

INTERVENTION(S): Embryos from 40 patients, in which > 50% of the embryos were classified as poor quality in their previous IVF attempts, were grown on autologue GC culture system for a short period (24-48 hours) before being replaced in the uterine cavity.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Embryo quality.

RESULT(S): Significant decrease in poor quality embryos and increase in the proportion of good quality embryos were observed using a coculture system with autologue human GCs. Pregnancy rates in this groups of patients reached our standard IVF results during the same period.

CONCLUSION(S): This study describes a simplified short-term coculture system with human autologue GCs. Poor quality embryos may be rescued to cleave regularly.