H. Danzer

Maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin concentrations and fetal sex prediction.

The feasibility of using maternal serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) concentrations for prenatal sex prediction was examined. hCG was mesured in 822 serum samples from 560 women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Significantly higher hCG concentrations were found in the serum of women bearing female fetuses than in the serum of women bearing male fetuses during the third trimester, especially during the 10th lunar month. The data were utilized to construct probability graphs for fetal sex prediction based upon a single maternal serum hCG determination during the third trimester and during the 10th lunar month. However, the utility of these graphs is limited by the small proportion of pregnant women with serum hCG concentrations that were high or low enough to allow a prediction with high probability.

The Day of Blastocyst Vitrification Significantly Effects Implantation in Subsequent Frozen Embryo Transfers

Icsi vs. Insemination for Trophectoderm Biopsy PGS Cycles: Is There Any Difference in Chromosomal Abnormalities or Pregnancy Rates? J. Barritt, PhD, D. L. Hill, PhD, H. Danzer, MD, M. Surrey, MD, S. Ghadir, MD, W. Chang, MD, S. Munne, PhD. ART Reproductive Center, 450 N. Roxbury Dr, Ste 520, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; Southern California Reproductive Center, 450 N. Roxbury Dr, Ste 500, Beverly Hills, CA 90210; Reprogenetics, 3 Regent Street, Suite 301, Livingston, NJ 07039.

The proximity of warmed embryo transfer of “intentional freeze” embryos from vitrification impacts implantation rates

OBJECTIVE: There is mounting evidence that performing blastocyst transfer at least one menstrual cycle from that in which the patient’s eggs were retrieved improves implantation, presumably due to a more receptive uterine environment. Doing this requires vitrification of blastocysts, warming and transferring them in a subsequent cycle that is 1, 2 or more menstrual cycles from that in which the embryos were created. We wanted to exam if implantation rates were affected by this proximity. DESIGN: Retrospective data analysis from a private laboratory for assisted reproductive technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From 2011 to 2013, 216 transfers (excluding donors and surrogates) did not have a fresh blastocyst transfer, electing to have all embryos intentionally vitrified. In 104 of these transfers the patient also had PGD by array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH). Transfers of warmed blastocysts were performed anywhere from within 40 days of the vitrification cycle, 41-70 days or>70 days and beyond, representing endometrial lining recreation from 1–3 cycles. Based on the idea that it would take somewhere 70 days post-vitrification. RESULTS: Non-PGD defined embryo transfers occurring 70 day group (P 70 day group. Noticeably 11/112 (10%) of the cases in the ‘‘no PGD’’ group were >37, whereas 61/104 (59%) of the ‘‘PGD’’ group were >37. This outcome is therefore reflective of a elimination of the ‘‘age effect’’ in patients 37–41 years old when aCGH-defined blastocysts are used for transfer. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrates that performing a warmed embryo transfer soon after the vitrification cycle does not allow themost optimal uterine receptivity. Most dramatically demonstrated in warmed cycles after PGD in which at least 2 endometrial lining recreations increased pregnancy rates so significantly that the ‘‘age effect’’ in older patients was overcome by doing intentional freezes with PGD. We strongly recommend not performing warmed ETs of blastocysts <40 days from vitrification.

‘Cook®ing-in’ new MINC incubators: they really can be installed, pass quality control testing and be ready for patient embryos in only 7 days

Objective: “Burn-in” of new incubators is normally performed over as long a period of time as possible. Mouse embryo studies have repeatedly demonstrated that incubators need to “off-gas” residual volatiles from various components before they will pass testing and be cleared for clinical use. We evaluate how quickly the COOK mini-incubator (MINC) can be installed, tested and cleared for clinical use.

What patients can expect for percentage of embryos biopsied and normal embryos available for fresh blastocyst transfer when undergoing trophectoderm biopsy with 24-chromosome genetic analysis

Jason Barritt, PhD, Santiago Munne, PhD, Mark Surrey, MD, Hal Danzer, MD, Shahin Ghadir, MD and David Hill, PhD. ART Reproductive Center, 450 North Roxbury Drive Suite 520 Beverly Hills, California, United States, 90210; Reprogenetics, 3 Regent Street Suite 301 Livingston, New Jersey, United States, 07039 and Southern California Reproductive Center, 450 North Roxbury Drive Suite 500 Beverly Hills, California, United States, 90210.