Recovery of preimplantation blastocysts in the squirrel monkey by a laparoscopic technique

A laparoscopic uterine flushing technique has been developed for the recovery of preimplantation embryos from the squirrel monkey. Fourteen adult female squirrel monkeys were induced to ovulate with 4 or 5 days' treatment with follicle-stimulating hormone (1 mg) followed by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) (500 IU). Natural mating with a fertile male or artificial insemination was performed near the time of ovulation. Thirty-six hours and eleven days after HCG administration, the females were laparoscoped to determine whether ovulation had occurred. Under laparoscopic control, 1.2 to 3 ml of warmed saline were flushed through the uterine lumen 4 to 7 and 15 to 17 days after HCG administration. Flushed fluid was recovered with a plyethylene catheter or a Pasteur pipette inserted into the cleaned vagina. Fifty-eight uterine flushings were performed, with an average of 65.4% fluid recovery. Six nonfertilized ova and two preimplantation blastocysts were recovered by this technique.