Evaluation of the safety of time-lapse observations for human embryos.

Authors :: Nakahara T
Iwase A
Goto M
Harata T
Suzuki M
Ienaga M
Kobayashi H
Takikawa S
Manabe S
Kikkawa F
Ando H
Source :: Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics [J Assist Reprod Genet] 2010 Feb; Vol. 27 (2-3), pp. 93-6. Date of Electronic Publication: 2010 Feb 02.
Publication Year :: 2010
Abstract: Purpose: To assess the effects of light from an integrated optical microscope and evaluate the safety of time-lapse observations using a built-in microscope incubator.<br />Methods: We prospectively compared the fertilization rate and embryonic morphology after intracytoplasmic sperm injection between embryos cultured with time-lapse observations every 15 min in an incubator with an integrated optical microscope and embryos with intermittent observations (once a day) in conventional incubators.<br />Results: No significant differences were observed in the fertilization rate (57.5% vs. 57.5%) or the rate of excellent-good cleavage embryos (36.0% vs. 36.0%).<br />Conclusions: These results suggest that time-lapse observations using an incubator with an integrated optical microscope may therefore be safely utilized in clinical practice.