O-208 High sperm DNA fragmentation index negatively impacts embryo morphokinetics, but not embryo morphology and development rates: the importance of time-lapse imaging system

AbstractStudy questionCan time-lapse imaging (TLI) identify morphokinetic events impacted by high sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI), irrespective of conventional morphological embryo assessment and development rate?Summary answerEmbryo morphokinetic parameters are negatively impacted by high DFI, whereas conventional morphological embryo assessment and blastocyst development rate are not related to DNA integrity.What is known alreadyPaternal genome activation occurs late in the embryo, and therefore, the negative impact of sperm factors on embryo development is more often observed in the outcomes of pregnancy, such as embryonic implantation and pregnancy loss, than in the potential for embryonic development itself, such as successful development to the blastocyst stage. With the development of TLI technology, and the possibility of assessing complete embryonic development, we hypothesized that sperm factors related to DNA fragmentation may interfere with the speed and pattern of cell divisions, leading to slower embryos; something that would not be detected by conventional morphological embryo assessment.Study design, size, durationThe study included 978 zygotes cultured until day five in a TLS incubator between March/2019 and August/2020, derived from 118 patients undergoing ICSI in a private university-affiliated IVF center. Kinetic markers from the point of insemination were recorded. Generalized linear models adjusted for potential confounders, followed by Bonferroni po...
Source: Human Reproduction - Category: Reproduction Medicine Source Type: research