The Effect of Advanced Maternal Age on Embryo Morphokinetics

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Embryology
• In vitro fertilization (IVF)

Background:

• Advanced maternal age (AMA) is associated with decreased fertility and increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities.
• Understanding early embryonic development in AMA is crucial for improving IVF outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare morphokinetic parameters of pre-implantation development between embryos from women of advanced maternal age (≥42 years) and younger women (<38 years).

Main Methods:

• Utilized time-lapse microscopy to analyze morphokinetic variables in 495 embryos from AMA women and 653 embryos from younger women undergoing IVF.
• Annotated developmental events including cell division timing, cell cycle synchrony (s2, s3), and cleavage duration (cc2, cc3).

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in early cleavage times between AMA and control embryos.
• A trend towards developmental arrest was observed in AMA embryos, with a higher percentage arresting at 4-7 cells, though not statistically significant in the first 3 days.

Conclusions:

• Early morphokinetic parameters do not reveal unique developmental dynamics in embryos from older women.
• A tendency for developmental arrest in AMA embryos suggests potential challenges in later developmental stages.