Abstract: Despite significant advances, in vitro production (IVP) of equine embryos continues to lack standardised embryo classification criteria and is associated with increased rates of early pregnancy loss compared with in vivo-derived blastocysts. Objective: To evaluate morphokinetic characteristics of the first mitotic division and early embryonic development in IVP blastocysts and their association with embryo development, as well as pregnancy rate and early pregnancy loss following embryo transfer. Methods: Retrospective analysis of archived material and clinical records. Methods: We retrospectively analysed morphokinetic characteristics of transferred IVP embryos with known pregnancy outcomes as well as those from arrested embryos. We analysed time-lapse images of 70 transferred embryos and 114 arrested embryos to identify and compare the frequency of abnormalities during the first mitotic division (cleavage patterns) and recorded the time to vitrification or arrest. A logistic regression model with a logit link was used to evaluate pregnancy success at 14 days and early pregnancy loss (EPL) at 25 and 42 days in relation to the recorded morphokinetic characteristics in SAS. Results: Earlier vitrification (which corresponds to the time to blastocyst formation) increased the odds of pregnancy at 14 days and decreased pregnancy loss until 25 days, but not between 25 and 42 days. Abnormal cleavage patterns decreased the odds of pregnancy and increased the odds of EPL, with embryos exhibiting abnormal cleavage patterns showing a 53.3% total EPL rate compared with 22.6% for normal cleavage patterns (p < 0.05). Conclusions: While our analysis provides sufficient statistical power to draw conclusions regarding the main objectives, increasing the number of embryo transfers could reveal additional interactions among morphokinetic characteristics that influence pregnancy success. Conclusions: Overall, we demonstrated a relationship between cleavage patterns during the first mitotic division, time to blastocyst formation, pregnancy rate and early pregnancy loss risk for equine IVP embryos. These features can serve as a classification method to identify and select embryos with higher pregnancy potential for transfer, contributing to reducing the gap in pregnancy rates between in vivo and in vitro-produced embryos. Background: Malgré des avancées significatives, la production in vitro (IVP) d'embryons équins manque toujours de critères de classification embryonnaire standardisés et demeure associée à des taux élevés de perte de gestation précoce comparativement aux blastocystes produits in vivo. Objective: Évaluer les caractéristiques morpho‐cinétiques de la première division mitotique et du développement embryonnaire précoce de blastocystes IVP de même que leur association au développement embryonnaire, taux de gestation et de perte de gestation précoce suivant un transfert d'embryon. TYPE D'ÉTUDE: Analyses rétrospective de matériel archivé et de dossiers médicaux. MÉTHODES: Les caractéristiques morpho‐cinétiques d'embryons IVP transférés avec résultats de gestation connus ont été analysées de même que celles provenant d'embryons arrêtés. Des images espacées de 70 embryons transférés et 114 embryons arrêtés ont été analysées afin d'identifier et comparer la fréquence d'anomalies durant la première division mitotique (patrons de clivage) et le temps de vitrification ou d'arrêt a été enregistré. Un modèle de régression logistique avec un lien logit a été utilisé pour évaluer le succès de gestation à 14 jours et de perte de gestation précoce à 25 et 42 jours par rapport aux caractéristiques morpho‐cinétiques enregistrés dans SAS. RÉSULTATS: Une vitrification précoce (qui correspond au temps de formation du blastocyste) augmente les chances de gestation à 14 jours et diminue la perte de gestation jusqu'à jour 25, ce qui n'est pas le cas entre jours 25 et 42. Les patrons de clivage anormaux diminuent les chances de gestation et augmentent les chances de perte de gestation précoce. Les embryons avec patrons de clivage anormaux montraient un taux total de perte de gestation précoce de 53.3.% comparativement à 22.6% pour les patrons de clivage normaux (P < 0.05). Unassigned: Alors que notre analyse possède suffisamment de pouvoir statistique pour tirer des conclusions par rapport aux objectifs primaires, un nombre supérieur de transferts d'embryons pourrait révéler des interactions additionnelles en termes de caractéristiques morpho‐cinétiques influençant les succès de gestation. Conclusions: Somme toute, nous avons démontré une relation entre les patrons de clivage durant la première division mitotique, le temps de formation du blastocyste, le taux de gestation et le risque de perte de gestation précoce pour des embryons IVP équins. Ces caractéristiques peuvent servir comme méthode de classification afin d'identifier et sélectionner des embryons ayant un potentiel de gestation supérieur pour un transfert, contribuant à réduire la marge de taux de gestation entre les embryons produits in vivo et in vitro.
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The research studied how abnormal cleavage patterns in horse embryos produced in a lab setting can lead to higher rates of early pregnancy loss.
Background
The production of horse embryos in a lab, also known as in vitro production (IVP), has shown higher rates of early pregnancy loss statistically compared to embryos produced naturally within the body (in vivo).
There is a lack of uniform criteria to classify IVP embryos, which makes comparison and analysis across various studies difficult.
This study aims to identify and evaluate the morphologic and timing characteristics of the early embryonic development and their possible association with successful development, rate of pregnancy and early pregnancy loss post embryo transfer.
Methods
In order to determine these associations, a retrospective analysis of previously stored records and data was carried out.
The researchers analyzed the morphological characteristics of embryos that were successfully transferred (known pregnancy outcome) and those that were arrested (did not develop).
Time-lapse images of 70 transferred embryos and 114 arrested embryos were studied to identify and compare the frequency of abnormalities during the first mitotic division, also known as cleavage patterns. Furthermore, the time taken till vitrification (time to blastocyst formation) or arrest was also recorded.
Results
The research indicates that embryos which achieve blastocyst formation earlier have increased odds of successful pregnancy at 14 days. These embryos also show a decrease in pregnancy loss until 25 days. However, this relationship does not hold after 25 days up to 42 days.
Moreover, abnormal cleavage patterns reduce the odds of pregnancy and increase the odds of early pregnancy loss.
Specifically, embryos with abnormal cleavage patterns had a significantly higher total early pregnancy loss rate (53.3%) as compared with those with normal cleavage patterns (22.6%).
Conclusions
While the findings are statistically significant, the study suggests that including more embryo transfers could help uncover additional associations between morphokinetic characteristics and pregnancy success.
The study demonstrates a correlation between early mitotic division patterns, time to blastocyst formation, and the risk of pregnancy loss in horse IVP embryos.
The observations can serve as a classification system for identifying and selecting embryos with a superior potential for successful pregnancy, which can help in narrowing the disparity in pregnancy rates between in vivo and in vitro-produced embryos.
Cite This Article
APA
Martin-Pelaez S, de la Fuente A, Takahashi K, Monteiro H, Mendes M, Meyers S, Dini P.
(2025).
Abnormal cleavage patterns in equine in vitro-produced embryos lead to higher early pregnancy loss.
Equine Vet J.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.70004
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