Does sperm DNA integrity affect embryo cleavage patterns?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A prospective study using time-lapse technology (EmbryoScope): Is there a link between sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation and embryo cleavage patterns?
IRAS ID
219276
Contact name
Geraldine Hartshorne
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
N/A, N/A
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
A prospective study using time-lapse technology (EmbryoScope): Is there a link between sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation and embryo cleavage patterns?
There is conflicting information in the literature regarding the clinical impact of sperm DNA fragmentation on assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. This research aims to evaluate sperm DNA fragmentation on the day of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in patients who have opted for EmbryoScope embryo culture. The EmbryoScope is a time-lapse system that records images of the embryos such that the clinical embryologist can view the developmental trajectory of each embryo. Embryo development will be evaluated to see if there is any correlation between this and sperm DNA fragmentation. These parameters are related to decuding which embryos are selected to transfer to a patient during fertility treatment.
There will be no participant intervention as part of this research. On the day of treatment, each male will produce a semen sample for use in fertility treatment. A small volume of prepared sperm is required for treatment, and this research would involve using surplus sperm for DNA fragmentation testing. After IVF or ICSI, the embryos will be cultured in the EmbryoScope and information regarding embryo development is recorded. This data would be analysed for each couple in relation to the sperm DNA fragmentation results, and clinical data such as age and reason for treatment.
Patients who are having a fresh IVF or ICSI cycle who have opted to have EmbryoScope incubation will be eligible for this research.
The study will take approximately 9 months to complete and it will all be carried out at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. Funding: NHS England.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/WM/0230
Date of REC Opinion
10 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion