Viability scores determined by metabolomic assessment of embryo culture media correlate with IVF outcome in women undergoing single embryo transfer on day 2: a prospective multi-center study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Current embryo assessment strategies rely largely on morphology and cleavage rate in order to identify embryos that are most likely to implant in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this study, we assessed whether a viability score generated by biospectroscopy-based metabolomic profiling of spent embryo culture media correlates with implantation potential of individual embryos in women undergoing single embryo transfer (SET) on day 2.DESIGN: A prospective multi-center, multi-national study was conducted in 4 IVF centers.MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 176 spent embryo culture media samples were collected following single embryo transfer (SET) on day 2 at Unilabs Laboratoire D'Eylau, Paris, France; Vaestoliitto Fertility Clinics, Helsinki, Finland; Fertilitetscentrum, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Samples were analyzed by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using a wavelength-specific genetic algorithm and a relative embryo viability score was generated for each sample. All measurements were performed at Molecular Biometrics Inc. by observers blinded to embryo morphology or IVF outcome. Pregnancy was defined as fetal cardiac activity (FCA) at 12 weeks of gestation.RESULTS: Viability scores of embryos that resulted in pregnancy (FCA+) were significantly higher compared to embryos that failed to implant (FCA–) (mean±SD; 0.600±0.182 vs. 0.529±0.172; p=0.011). A positive correlation was observed between increasing viability index values and the reproductive potential of individual embryos (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.18; p<0.05). There was not a signifcant correlation between viability scores and embryo morphology or type of culture media used.CONCLUSIONS: Viability scores determined by metabolomic profiling of day 2 spent embryo culture media correlate with outcome in women undergoing IVF and constitute a parameter independent of morphology for non-invasive assessment of embryo viability. OBJECTIVE: Current embryo assessment strategies rely largely on morphology and cleavage rate in order to identify embryos that are most likely to implant in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this study, we assessed whether a viability score generated by biospectroscopy-based metabolomic profiling of spent embryo culture media correlates with implantation potential of individual embryos in women undergoing single embryo transfer (SET) on day 2. DESIGN: A prospective multi-center, multi-national study was conducted in 4 IVF centers. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 176 spent embryo culture media samples were collected following single embryo transfer (SET) on day 2 at Unilabs Laboratoire D'Eylau, Paris, France; Vaestoliitto Fertility Clinics, Helsinki, Finland; Fertilitetscentrum, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia. Samples were analyzed by near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy using a wavelength-specific genetic algorithm and a relative embryo viability score was generated for each sample. All measurements were performed at Molecular Biometrics Inc. by observers blinded to embryo morphology or IVF outcome. Pregnancy was defined as fetal cardiac activity (FCA) at 12 weeks of gestation. RESULTS: Viability scores of embryos that resulted in pregnancy (FCA+) were significantly higher compared to embryos that failed to implant (FCA–) (mean±SD; 0.600±0.182 vs. 0.529±0.172; p=0.011). A positive correlation was observed between increasing viability index values and the reproductive potential of individual embryos (Pearson correlation coefficient 0.18; p<0.05). There was not a signifcant correlation between viability scores and embryo morphology or type of culture media used. CONCLUSIONS: Viability scores determined by metabolomic profiling of day 2 spent embryo culture media correlate with outcome in women undergoing IVF and constitute a parameter independent of morphology for non-invasive assessment of embryo viability.