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Lifestyle and Environment · Environmental Exposures

How to Reduce the Potential Harmful Effects of Light on Blastocyst Development during IVF

Bódis J, Gödöny K, Várnagy Á, Kovács K, Koppán M, Nagy B, Erostyák J, Herczeg R, Szekeres-Barthó J, Gyenesei A, Kovács GL

Medical principles and practice : international journal of the Kuwait University, Health Science Centre, 2020
DOI 10.1159/000509016 PMID 32474560 PMC PMC7768157

RRM Academy Synopsis

Light-protected IVF embryos reached blastocyst stage more often

Embryos handled with light protection reached the blastocyst stage more often than embryos handled in conventional light. The study compared 994 patients at one Hungarian IVF unit. With sperm injection (ICSI), about 7 out of 10 light-protected embryos became blastocysts. Under conventional light, about 3 out of 10 did.

Key Findings

  • Among ICSI embryos, 462 of 657 light-protected embryos reached the blastocyst stage (70.3%), compared with 147 of 464 under conventional light (31.7%); odds ratio 5.109 (95% CI 3.950–6.609).
  • Among IVF embryos, 393 of 823 light-protected embryos reached the blastocyst stage (47.7%), compared with 123 of 459 under conventional light (26.8%); odds ratio 2.497 (95% CI 1.949–3.199).
  • The ICSI fertilization rate was 57.5% with light protection and 53.1% without (odds ratio 1.190, 95% CI 1.040–1.362, p = 0.011).
  • After day 5 ICSI transfers, clinical pregnancies/transfers were 30.8% (53 pregnancies, 172 transfers) with light protection and 20.9% (33 pregnancies, 158 transfers) without; odds ratio 1.687 (95% CI 1.021–2.787, p = 0.040).
  • IVF fertilization rates (63.5% and 65.6%, p = 0.196) and clinical pregnancies/transfers (38.5% and 30.6%, p = 0.274) showed no significant difference between the groups.

Interpretation

The study compared two laboratory procedures at one university unit, with 540 patients in the light-protected group and 454 in the conventional group between 2016 and 2018. The report does not state how patients were assigned. Each rate is calculated across oocytes or embryos, and one patient can contribute several of them. Clinical pregnancy was the latest outcome measured, and the authors write that live birth rates still need to be checked. The light-protected procedure combined foil, red filters and UV or infrared filters, and the study compared that whole package with conventional handling. The authors call the work a pilot clinical study.

RRM Context

The paper's introduction says the female reproductive system can protect eggs, sperm and embryos from environmental damage such as light. During IVF, these cells meet light from room, cabinet and microscope sources. IVF bypasses the reproductive system and leaves the cause of infertility unresolved. The baseline table records poor semen quality as the cause in 40.7% and 37.4% of the two groups, and unexplained infertility in 11.1% and 7.3%. Restorative reproductive medicine treats unexplained infertility as undiagnosed and seeks the cause in both partners.

Our editorial summary of this paper, not the article's abstract.

Abstract

Purpose

Earlier findings revealed the damaging effect of visible light on zygotes and gametes. The aim of our study is to eliminate or significantly reduce the potentially harmful effects of light exposure during in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and to investigate the effect of light protection on embryo development and implantation.

Materials and Methods

To protect sperm cells, oocytes, and embryos from the potential harmful effects of light exposure during laboratory procedures, we created a dark environment for the cells and applied red filters on laboratory lamps and UV or infrared filters in the microscopes in order to eliminate white light exposure of the cells throughout all work stages.

Results

The fertilization rate was significantly (p = 0.011) higher in light-protected ICSI cycles. Blastocyst development rates (blastocyst/embryo) were significantly (p < 0.001) higher in light-protected embryos than in those manipulated in conventional light conditions both in IVF (20.9% difference) and ICSI (38.6% difference). Numbers of clinical pregnancies/transfers of ICSI fertilized day 5 blastocysts were also significantly (p = 0.040) higher in light-protected conditions.

Conclusions

These data show that light protection has a positive effect on fertilization rate and increases the blastocyst development as well as the number of clinical pregnancies/transfers. Implementation of this light protection method in IVF centers may improve the success rate while maintaining maximal embryo safety.

Topics

Related research

Lifestyle and Environment › Environmental Exposures › Radiation and Electromagnetic Exposure · Assisted Reproduction › Procedures and Protocols › IVF Protocols
József Bódis, Krisztina Gödöny, Ákos Várnagy, Kálmán Kovács, Miklós Koppán, Bernadett Nagy, János Erostyák, Róbert Herczeg, Julia Szekeres-Barthó, Attila Gyenesei, Gabor L Kovács
J Bódis, K Gödöny, Á Várnagy, K Kovács, M Koppán, B Nagy, J Erostyák, R Herczeg, J Szekeres-Barthó, A Gyenesei, G Kovács
PMID 32474560 32474560 DOI 10.1159/000509016 10.1159/000509016 Bódis et al. 2020, Bódis 2020

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