Effects of sera from patients given various anesthetics on preimplantation mouse embryo development in vitro

This study compared the effects of sera from patients given various anesthetics on in vitro mouse preimplantation embryo development. Patients electing bilateral laparoscopic tubal sterilization were subjected to general anesthesia with nitrous oxide (N2O) that included either isofluorane (ISO/N2O) as an inhalant or fentanyl or morphine (FEN/MOR/N2O). The addition of sera collected 1 hr after anesthetic induction significantly reduced the numbers of two-cell mouse embryos that developed to blastocyst in the ISO/N2O group as compared to that of preanesthesia sera. In contrast, no detrimental effects were revealed from sera of patients given FEN/MOR/N2O. Comparison of sera from patients given ISO/N2O and FEN/MOR/N2O for laparoscopic oocyte retrieval and from patients given spinal anesthesia and/or i.v. sedation for ultrasonic retrieval also revealed a decrease in mouse embryo development in the ISO/N2O group, but no differences were seen in the other anesthetic regimens. ISO/N2O anesthesia was also associated with a significantly decreased fertilization rate of mature oocytes retrieved. However, no significant effect of ISO/N2O anesthesia on IVF pregnancy rates could be demonstrated. These studies indicate that embryo toxic effects can be detected in sera from patients given ISO/N2O and that this anesthetic may be detrimental to the success of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.