Predicting The Developmental Potential Of Cleavage Stage Embryos Based On Oxygen Consumption Rate In FET Cycles

OBJECTIVE: To study the value of oxygen consumption (OC) as a predictor of the developmental potential of D3 embryos in frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles. METHODS: This observational study included 148 patients undergoing FET cycles with two embryos transferred per cycle. OC rates were examined by scanning electrochemical microscopy before embryo transfer. Implantation, clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, and live birth rates were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 296 embryos were transferred in 148 cycles, or two embryos per cycle. The embryos were divided into three groups based on OC: Group A included the cases in which the OC rate of each of the two transferred embryos was greater than 3.0 fmol/s; Group B included the cases in which the OC rate of one of the embryos was greater than 3.0 fmol/s and the OC rate of the other embryo was less than 3.0 fmol/s; and Group C included the cases in which the OC rates of the two embryos were less than 3.0 fmol/s. Higher live birth rates and lower miscarriage rates were observed in Group A (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that OC is positively correlated with embryo developmental potential. Therefore, measuring the OC of human embryos may be useful in embryo assessment.