THE INTRODUCTION OF A GROUP CULTURE PROTOCOL IN DONOR OOCYTE-RECIPIENT CYCLES DID NOT INCREASE THE TOTAL USEABLE BLASTOCYST RATES: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Group culture of human preimplantation embryos could increase the number useable blastocysts per in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. The present study compares outcomes a specific group embryo strategy vs. single 1 media droplet. standard, individual protocol (IC) 30 μL drops was substituted by (GC) consisting on grouping up to 3 zygotes same volume droplets. A retrospective analysis development both protocols carried out 134 donor oocyte-recipient cycles. In total, 497 were cultured until blastocyst stage (244 IC and 253 GC). donor’s oocyte-recipient’s baseline characteristics GC cycles compared using Student’s t-test for continuous variables Fisher’s exact test categorical variables. Laboratory between groups generalized estimating equation (GEE) modelling account correlation induced clustering multiple each donor/oocyte-recipient Donor patient similar among groups. total usable rate zygote (51% 50.8%, p=0,849), day 5 (77.2% 71.9%, p=0,337) good quality (95% 95.5%, p=0,984) did not differ GC. Positive β-hcg rates after first transfer cycle 63.1% 72.1% (p=0,354), clinical pregnancies 50.5% 61.8% (p=0,224), GC, respectively, which significantly. population donor-oocyte recipients, developmental these embryos. Further understanding autocrine regulation preimplantational be used improve current strategies, larger prospective studies are needed determine its benefits laboratory outcomes.