Effects of medium composition on murine and human blastocyst formation and hatching rate

Blastocyst formation was higher (P <0.001) for murine embryos cultured in MEM (blasts = 95%) compared to HTF (blasts = 70%). When cultured with endotoxin, blastocyst formation was higher (P <0.01) for embryos cultured in MEM compared with HTF for controls and at each endotoxin level. No difference in human blastocyst development was observed in HTF and MEM. However, more MEM-cultured blastocysts were cryopreserved (P <0.05). There also was a lower spontaneous abortion rate and a higher multiple gestation rate when embryos were cultured in MEM.

Thus, MEM may result in healthier blastocyst development, especially when culture conditions are substandard, although this is not an acceptable substitution for meticulous technique. Similar content being viewed by others

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