A highly sensitive electrochemiluminescence immunoassay for detecting human embryonic human chorionic gonadotropin in spent embryo culture media during IVF-ET cycle

Abstract

Purpose To investigate the stability and repeatability of electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) for betahCG detection in embryo spent culture media. To evaluate the correlation between the viability of preimplantation embryo and beta-hCG profile by the new assay. Methods In a retrospective study, a total of 357 spent culture media from day1 to day5 were individually collected and quantified by ECLIA. The blank controls and reliability test were performed with normal saline/pure culture media. Results 1) There was no detectable amount of beta-hCG in blank controls. A high degree of linearity (R 2 =0.995) was found in this study; intra-assay and inter-assay coefficient of variation were 4.87 % and 6.25 %. 2) A significantly higher concentration of beta-hCG was found at day5 group than it at day3 group, both in total samples (1.47±0.68mIU/ml vs 0.55±0.32mIU/ml) and in homologous embryo samples (1.43±0.91mIU/ml vs 0.52±0.23mIU/ml). 3) There was a positive correlation between beta-hCG concentration and implantation rate (r=0.559 at day3 and 0.535 at day5) or blastocyst morphological grading (r=0.411).Conclusions ECLIA may be an optimal choice for detecting beta-hCG in spent culture media to assess embryo viability, indicating secreted beta-hCG as a useful biomarker for embryo selection in IVF-ET procedure.

Effect of intrauterine injection of human chorionic gonadotropin before embryo transfer on pregnancy rate: A prospective randomized study

“…[ 11 12 ] HCG is a heterodimeric placental glycoprotein hormone that is required to maintain pregnancy and is initially produced by the blastocyst 6–8 days after fertilization. [ 13 14 ]…”

Effect of intrauterine injection of human chorionic gonadotropin before embryo transfer on clinical pregnancy rates from in vitro fertilisation cycles: a prospective study

“…These mechanisms have been used to design clinical studies to assess clinical outcomes upon implantation. Xiao-Yan et al measured human embryonic human chorionic gonadotropin in embryo culture media that was used during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycles, and they found a positive correlation between the beta-hCG concentration and the implantation rate, which indicates that the hCG that is secreted by embryos could be used as a biomarker for embryo selection in IVF cycles [ 13 ]. Mansour et al reported the first time use of an intrauterine injection of hCG before the embryo transfers, and they found a significant improvement in the pregnancy rates of the IVF cycles [ 14 ].…”

Predictive Value Of Glucose And β-Hcg Concentration In The Embryo Culture Medium Of Patients Undergoing Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

“…Similarly Xiao-Yan et al found that there was a significantly higher β-HCG concentration in the spent culture medium of embryos resulting in pregnancy compared to those that did not. This significant difference was present in day 3 embryos (P= 0.041) but was more pronounced at the blastocyst (day 5) stage (0.004) [10] . The results of this study are totally in line with these earlier findings.…”