The Importance of the Study of the Embryonic Metabolome in Assisted Human Reproduction

Since the advent of IVF in 1978, many novel techniques have arisen in Assisted Human Reproduction (AR). Every year thousands of people seek treatment, with success rates ranging from 35% to 40%. The way of assessing an embryo for intrauterine transfer is still carried out by means of morphological parameters, a traditional methodology that brings little information about embryo physiology. Analyses of embryo metabolic activity seem to be excellent predictors of embryo viability and implantation potential. This methodology is still new and experimental, presenting some degree of operational difficulty, for which reason it is not yet performed on a routine basis at major Assisted Reproduction centers. This paper intends to discuss the importance of studying the embryonic metabolome for the selection and transfer of human embryos.