Volume 107, Issue 2, Pages 405–412

Authors:

Mohamed Fawzy, M.D., Mohamed Sabry, M.D., Mohamed Nour, M.D., Mohamed Y. Abdelrahman, M.D., Eman Roshdy, M.D., Yasmin Magdi, M.Sc., Hazem Abdelghafar, M.D.

Abstract:

Objective

To evaluate the effect of supplementing single-step embryo culture medium with insulin on human embryo development.

Design

Comparative study.

Setting

Two private centers.

Patient(s)

The study involved a sibling oocyte split of 5,142 retrieved oocytes from 360 patients.

Intervention(s)

Sibling oocytes split after intracytoplasmic sperm injection for culture from day 0 through day 5 or 6 in insulin-supplemented or control medium. Women were split to receive their embryos from insulin-supplemented or control medium.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

Clinical pregnancy rate.

Result(s)

There were significantly higher rates of clinical, ongoing, and twin pregnancies in the insulin-supplemented arm than in the control arm. On day 3, embryo quality and compaction were higher in insulin-supplemented medium. On day 5, insulin supplementation showed higher rates of blastocyst formation, quality, and cryopreservation.

Conclusion(s)

Insulin supplementation of single-step embryo culture medium from day 0 through day 5 or 6 improved clinical pregnancy rate and human embryo development. However, these findings need further confirmation through a multicenter randomized controlled trial that may include other patient populations and different culture media.

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