COCULTURE WITH HOMOLOGOUS OVIDUCTAL CELLS IMPROVED THE IMPLANTATION OF HUMAN EMBRYOS - A PROSPECTIVE RANDOMIZED CONTROL TRIAL

Purpose: The efficacy of homologous oviductal cell coculture on the su ccess of a human in vitro fertilization program was investigated in a prospective randomized control clinical trial Methods and Results: One hundred eighty-one couples were randomized into the control and the c oculture groups. Pronuclear-stage zygotes were either cultured in Earl es' balanced salt solution supplemented with 15% preovulatory serum (c ontrol) or cultured with human oviductal cells (coculture) for 24 hr b efore embryo transfer. There was no difference in the age of the patie nts, indication for treatment, number of oocyte retrieved or fertilize d, or number of embryo replaced between the two groups. The pregnancy rates per transfer for the control and the coculture group were 12.8 a nd 19.3%, respectively. The number of viable fetus was significantly h igher (P < 0.01, chi-square test) in the coculture group (25/264) than in the control group (8/262). The coculture group also showed a highe r multiple pregnancy rate, lower abortion rate, and more spare embryos suitable for cryopreservation.