Vitrification of human early cavitating and deflated expanded blastocysts: clinical outcome of 474 cycles

Purpose The present study was undertaken to evaluate and compare the post thaw survival, implantation and pregnancy rates of vitrified human early cavitating blastocysts with deflated expanded blastocysts.

Supernumerary blastocysts were vitrified in 30% ethylene glycol-dimethyl sulphoxide based solution using cryoloop. Fully expanded blastocysts were deflated by gentle aspiration of the blastocoelic fluid using a micromanipulator until the cavity collapses prior to vitrification.

Of the 576 vitrified blastocysts, 545 (94.61%) survived thawing in the early cavitating blastocyst group which was significantly higher than deflated expanded blastocyst group, in which only 370 survived thawing out of 459 (80.62%). However, no significant difference was observed in implantation and pregnancy rates between early cavitating and deflated expanded blastocyst groups.

Early cavitating blastocyst would be the ideal stage for cryopreservation of human blastocysts as it has higher survival rate and avoids additional invasive procedures like deflation of the blastocoele. Similar content being viewed by others

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Author information Authors and Affiliations Corresponding author Additional information Capsule Survival during freeze thaw is stage specific and early cavitating blastocyst is the ideal stage for vitrification. Rights and permissions About this article Cite this article Raju, G.A.R., Prakash, G.J., Krishna, K.M. et al. Vitrification of human early cavitating and deflated expanded blastocysts: clinical outcome of 474 cycles. J Assist Reprod Genet 26, 523–529 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-009-9356-0 Received: Accepted: Published: Issue date: DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-009-9356-0