First births with a simplified culture system for clinical IVF and embryo transfer

Abstract

This study reports the outcome results froma pilot clinical trial using a simplified laboratorymethod for human IVF. This system reproducibly generates de novo the atmospheric and culture conditions that support normal fertilization and preimplantationembryogenesis to the hatched blastocyst stage without the need for specializedmedical-grade gases or equipment. Development from insemination to the hatched blastocyst stage occurs undisturbed in a completely closed systemthat enables timed performance assessments forembryo selection in situ that, in this study, involvedsingle-embryo transfers onday 3.With the simplified culture system, 8/23embryos implanted, onemiscarried at 8 weeks of gestation and seven healthy babies have been born. Themethodology and results are discussed with regard to how this simplified system can be adopted worldwide to meet the growing need for accessible and affordable IVF.