Chemical 'fingerprint' to aid IVF

Last Modified: 08 Jul 2008
Source: PA News

A chemical "fingerprinting" technique for screening embryos could boost in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) pregnancy rates by up to 15%, say scientists.

The process, which takes just one minute, involves testing the chemical content of the culture medium in which an embryo is grown.

A computer read-out tells doctors which of a number of embryos is likely to stand the best chance of creating a pregnancy.

Like any living thing, a human embryo has a metabolism that requires a fuel source and produces waste products.

By absorbing sugar and other elements, and releasing organic chemicals, an embryo alters the environment around it.

The new "metabolomic" profiling technique assesses embryo quality from these changes.

Currently, fertility doctors have to rely on their skill and experience to judge the best embryos from their morphology, or shape.

The procedure has a 40% accuracy rate which can be increased to 70% with the addition of metabolomic profiling, it is claimed.

Studies suggest that in practice this could improve IVF pregnancy rates by 10 - 15%.

The technology, pioneered by the US company Molecular Biometrics, is due to be rolled out commercially next year.

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