Prediction of the in vitro developmental competence of early‐cleavage‐stage human embryos with time‐lapse imaging and oxygen consumption rate measurement

PURPOSE: To assess an embryo's ability to develop into a good‐quality blastocyst during the early‐cleavage stage using time‐lapse imaging and the oxygen consumption rate. METHODS: In total, 942 zygotes had their oxygen consumption rates measured. In total, 282 zygotes were assessed by using time‐lapse imaging. In total, 121 zygotes were examined by using both their oxygen consumption rate and time‐lapse imaging. RESULTS: The embryos with moderate respiration rates of between 0.41 and 0.61 (×10(14)/mol s(−1)) on day 3 had a 22.1% chance of becoming good‐quality blastocysts; those outside that range had a 14.3% chance. With the time‐lapse system, when the first division was within 24 hours, 22.3% of the embryos grew to good blastocysts. After 24 hours, the rate dropped to 8.6%. The intervals between two consecutive cleavages were calculated and the duration of the second cell cycle was defined. When the time was between nine hours and 13 hours, there was a higher rate of good blastocysts. Regarding both criteria, when the embryos had progressed in the optimal range, a high percentage of them had become good blastocysts; it was 8.0% outside of that range. CONCLUSION: Individual embryos with the potential to develop into good‐quality blastocysts could be selected at day 3 of culture using these systems.