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Updated: Sep 21, 2025
Sperm Collection of Differential Quality Using Density Gradient Centrifugation
Published on: November 29, 2018
Embryologic outcomes among patients using a microfluidics chip compared to density gradient centrifugation to process
Prachi Godiwala1, Emilse Almanza2, Jane Kwieraga1
1Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.
Purpose:
To evaluate embryologic outcomes among paired IVF cycles in which a microfluidics chip was utilized compared to density gradient centrifugation for sperm processing.
Methods:
This was a retrospective cohort study of 88 paired IVF cycles from patients aged 18-44 years at a university-affiliated IVF center. Fresh cycles from patients undergoing ICSI with sperm processed by a microfluidics chamber (microfluidics cycles) were compared to the same patients' previous ICSI cycles in which sperm was processed via density gradient centrifugation (control cycles). The primary outcome was the high-quality blastulation rate.
Results:
High-quality blastulation rate per oocyte retrieved was significantly higher in the microfluidics group compared to the control group (21.1% versus 14.5%, p < 0.01) as was the blastulation rate per 2PN (42.7% versus 30.8%, p < 0.01). Fertilization rates were significantly higher in the microfluidics group. The euploidy rate per oocyte retrieved was significantly higher in the microfluidics group compared with the control group (8.5% versus 4.3%, p = 0.04), while the euploidy rate per embryo biopsied was comparable (32.6% versus 21.8%, p = 0.09). In patients with male factor infertility, the high-quality blastulation rate was similar between the control and microfluidics cycles. There was a significantly higher blastulation rate among microfluidics cycles in patients without a diagnosis of male factor infertility (p < 0.01).
Conclusion:
In this study, several embryologic outcomes, including fertilization rate, high-quality blastulation rate, and euploidy rate, were significantly higher in the microfluidics group compared to the control group. Microfluidics sperm processing may be a way to improve embryologic outcomes.
