P-192 Blastocyst collapse during embryonic development is a marker of low pregnancy potential, independent of other blastocyst evaluation criteria
Authors: Sugiura T , Shioya M , Kobayashi T , Okabe M , Okada Y , Fujita M , Takahashi K 
Published: June 2023

Study question

Is evaluation of blastocyst collapse during embryonic development an independent marker for ongoing pregnancy in single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer cycles?

Summary answer

Collapse of blastocyst more than 20.4% of the area may be a marker of low ongoing pregnancy potential, independent of other evaluation criteria.

What is known already

Time-lapse monitoring revealed that a section of the extended trophectoderm (TE) is ruptured during development. This TE rupture causes an efflux of blastocoel fluid and a reduction in embryonic volume. This phenomenon is described as collapse. Several studies have reported that the collapse results in a low clinical and ongoing pregnancy potential for the blastocyst. However, the collapsed blastocysts were associated with poor morphological quality. Previous studies have not evaluated whether collapse is an independent predictor of pregnancy based on other blastocyst evaluation criteria. Therefore, it is necessary to determine whether blastocyst collapse is an independent predictor of ongoing pregnancy.

Study design, size, duration

This retrospective, single-center study was conducted at the TAKAHASHI WOMEN'S CLINIC from January, 2018 to December, 2020. All blastocysts were derived from the ICSI cycles. Time-lapse monitoring using Embryoscope + (Vitrolife) was used to observe the presence and degree of collapse. The degree of collapse was calculated from the embryonic volume at the maximum expansion and the lowest volume after collapse. We analyzed the relationship between 904 cycles of single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer and ongoing pregnancy.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

The ongoing pregnancy rates of collapsed and non collapsed blastocysts were compared using chi-squared test. The cut-off value of the degree of collapse for ongoing pregnancy was calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The effect of collapse above the cut-off value on ongoing pregnancy was examined using multivariate logistic regression analysis, including confounding factors (patient age, body mass index, inner cell mass (ICM) grade, TE grade, day of blastocyst formation, and expansion stage).

Main results and the role of chance

During the study period, 329 of the 904 transferred blastocysts exhibited collapse during time-lapse monitoring, and the degree of collapse ranged from 2.10% to 75.90%, with a median of 30.70%. In total, 575 transferred blastocysts were determined to be non collapsed. The mean patient age ( ± standard division) was 36.89 ± 4.77 years in the collapsed blastocyst group and 36.52 ± 4.42 years in the non collapsed blastocyst group (p = 0.151). The proportion of blastocysts with poor morphological grade (&lt;BB ) was higher in the collapsed blastocysts group than in the non collapsed blastocysts group (32.5% vs. 17.91%, p &lt; 0.0001). The ongoing pregnancy rate was significantly lower in the collapsed blastocysts group than in the non collapsed blastocysts group (45.4% vs. 34.0%, p = 0.0009). ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off value for the degree of collapse for low pregnancy potential was 20.4%. Multivariate logistic analysis with confounding factors revealed that blastocyst collapse above the cut-off value (≥20.4%) had an effect on ongoing pregnancy (adjusted odds ratio: 0.53, 95% confidence interval: 0.34–0.82, p = 0.005) independent of ICM and TE grades, day of blastocyst formation, and expansion stage.

Limitations, reasons for caution

This retrospective study was conducted at a single fertility center. In addition, the analyzed blastocysts were derived only from the ICSI cycles. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the effects of collapse in blastocysts derived from C-IVF cycles.

Wider implications of the findings

Our results demonstrate that ≥20.4% collapse may be an additional marker to consider when selecting blastocysts for transfer. If the blastocysts are of the same grade, it is better to select non collapsed embryos.

Trial registration number

not affect