Short insemination during conventional in vitro fertilization increases embryo quality

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Embryology
• In Vitro Fertilization

Background:

• Optimizing insemination protocols is crucial for improving embryo development and clinical outcomes in assisted reproductive technologies.
• Time-lapse imaging and artificial intelligence-based scoring offer advanced methods for assessing embryo quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the clinical outcomes of short (3-hour) versus long (16-20 hour) co-incubation protocols for sibling oocytes.
• To evaluate embryo morphokinetic parameters and implantation potential using time-lapse incubation, stratified by maternal age and sperm quality.

Main Methods:

• Sibling oocytes from 72 IVF cycles were divided into short or long insemination groups.
• Embryo development was monitored for 5 days using time-lapse incubators with AI-based Known Implantation Data (KID) scores.
• Stratification was performed based on female age and sperm parameters (motile sperm count and motility).

Main Results:

• The short insemination protocol resulted in significantly higher blastulation rates, improved morphokinetic indicators, and superior KID scores on days 3 and 5.
• No significant differences were observed in fertilization rates or clinical pregnancy rates per embryo transfer between the groups.
• Abnormal fertilization rates were higher with long insemination in women under 35 or with specific sperm quality parameters.

Conclusions:

• Short insemination protocols demonstrate superior embryo quality and developmental potential compared to long protocols.
• The short insemination protocol is a favorable option, especially for young female patients and those with high-quality sperm.
• Further consideration of insemination timing can optimize IVF success rates.