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Large-volume vitrification of human biopsied and non-biopsied blastocysts: a simple, robust technique for cryopreservation

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Abstract

Purpose

To evaluate the transition from a proven slow-cooling cryopreservation method to a commercial large-volume vitrification system for human blastocysts.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of de-identified laboratory and clinical data from January 2012 to present date for all frozen embryo replacement (FET) cycles was undertaken. Cryopreservation of trophectoderm-biopsied or non-biopsied blastocysts utilized during this time period was logged as either slow-cooling, small-volume vitrification, or large-volume vitrification. Blastocyst survival post-warm or post-thaw, clinical pregnancy following FET, and implantation rates were identified for each respective cryopreservation method.

Results

Embryo survival was highest for large-volume vitrification compared to micro-volume vitrification and slow-cooling; 187/193 (96.9 %), 27/32 (84.4 %), and 244/272 (89.7 %), respectively. Survival of biopsied and non-biopsied blastocysts vitrified using the large-volume system was 105/109 (96.3 %) and 82/84 (97.6 %), respectively. Survival for micro-volume biopsied and non-biopsied blastocysts was 16/30 (83.3 %) and 2/2 (100.0 %) respectively. Slow-cooling post-thaw embryo survival was 272/244 (89.7 %). Clinical pregnancy and implantation rates outcomes for non-biopsied embryos were similar between large-volume and slow-cooling cryopreservation methods, 18/39 (46.2 %) clinical pregnancy and 24/82 (29.3 %) implantation/embryo, and 52/116 (44.8 %) clinical pregnancy and 67/244 (27.5 %) implantation/embryo, respectively. Comparing outcomes for biopsied embryos, clinical pregnancy and implantation rates were 39/67 (58.2 %) clinical pregnancy and 50/105 (47.6 %) implantation/embryo and 4/16 (25 %) clinical pregnancy and 6/25 (24.0 %) implantation/embryo, respectively.

Conclusions

The LifeGlobal large-volume vitrification system proved to be very reliable, simple to learn and implement in the laboratory. Clinically large-volume vitrification was as, or more effective compared to slow-cooling cryopreservation in terms of recovery of viable embryos in this laboratory.

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Acknowledgments

The authors declare that there were no funding sources, grants, gifts, or other financial incentives for this study. Study data were retrieved by retrospective data mining using a de-identified database. The manuscript does not contain clinical studies or details that might disclose the identity of the patients; therefore patient consent and Institutional Review Board approval was not solicited.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest; including financial, personal, or other relationships with people or organizations that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence this work. Further, the manuscript has been reviewed and approved by all authors, and state that the manuscript has not been previously published, and is not being considered for publication by another journal.

Funding agencies

The research represented in this manuscript was not funded by any grant, award, gift, or any other form of financial support. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest, including any financial, personal, or other relationships with people or organizations that could inappropriately influence, or be perceived to influence this work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Reproductive Medicine of New Mexico, 201 Cedar Street SE, Suite S1-20, Albuquerque, NM, 87106, USA

    Michael L. Reed, Al-Hasen Said, Douglas J Thompson & Charles L Caperton

Authors
  1. Michael L. Reed
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  2. Al-Hasen Said
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  3. Douglas J Thompson
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  4. Charles L Caperton
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Michael L. Reed.

Additional information

Capsule A commercial large-volume vitrification system was evaluated for biopsied and non-biopsied human blastocysts in this laboratory. Embryo survival was very high: over 95 % of all embryos survived warming and were available for transfer, compared to 84 % and 90 % survival for micro-volume vitrification and slow-cooling techniques, respectively. The LifeGlobal large-volume vitrification system has proven to be very reliable, simple to learn and implement into routine use, and was demonstrated to be as effective or better in terms of recovery of viable embryos, under the conditions of this laboratory.

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Reed, M.L., Said, AH., Thompson, D.J. et al. Large-volume vitrification of human biopsied and non-biopsied blastocysts: a simple, robust technique for cryopreservation. J Assist Reprod Genet 32, 207–214 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0395-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-014-0395-9

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