EmbryoGlue the Transfer Medium with Hyaluronan in the IVF+ET Program

Overview

Objective:
To assess, if the replacement of serum albumin by recombinant human albumin and hyaluronan in EmbryoGlue transfer medium effects embryo implantation within IVF+ET programme.

Design:
A prospective study.

Setting:
Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, University Hospital, Olomouc.

Methods:
297 IVF cycles with the embryotransfer (ET) were evaluated. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the type of transfer medium (culture medium; G2.2, n=112 and the transfer medium EmbyoGlue (EG) n=185) and to three subgroups according to the age of the patients (<30, 30-38, >38). In both groups the following entry parameters were compared: average age, number of oocytes obtained, fertilization rate (FR), number of frozen embryos, number of transferred embryos. The outcome parameters compared were: pregnancy rate (PR), implantation rate (IR), abortions (AB) and the number of multiple pregnancies.

Results:
In the group of patients up to 30 (EG = 72 vs. G2.2 = 51) and over 38 years of age EG = 18 vs. G2.2 = 18) no differences in input and output parameters have been discovered, while in the group of patients between 30 and 38 years of age (EG = 94 vs. G2.2 = 44) the results of EG group embryo implantation have been improved significantly (IR 27.7% vs. 15.3%, p < 0.01). No differences in any other output parameters have been encountered (PR 43.6% vs. 39.5%, AB 7.3% vs. 11.7%).

Conclusion:
Human serum albumin can be replaced by hyaluronan as a sole macromolecule in a human embryo transfer medium and by recombinant human albumin, without reduction of pregnancy rate (PR) and implantation rate (IR). Not only similar results were achieved in EG medium compared to currently used G2.2 medium, but in the group of 30-38 year old patients a statistically significant positive influence of EG on the implantation of embryos has been observed.

Key words:
hyaluronic acid, hyaluronan, implantation rate, in vitro fertilization (IVF)