Does a microfluidic chip for sperm sorting have a positive add-on effect on laboratory and clinical outcomes of intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles? A sibling oocyte study

Yalcinkaya Kalyan E., Can Celik S., Okan O., Akdeniz G., KARABULUT S., Caliskan E.

Andrologia, vol.51, no.10, 2019 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 51 Issue: 10
  • Publication Date: 2019
  • Doi Number: 10.1111/and.13403
  • Journal Name: Andrologia
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Keywords: chip, implantation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, microfluidic, sibling
  • Istanbul Medipol University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The most recent technologies for sperm sorting involve microfluidics. However, the most important question whether their use is of any advantage in terms of laboratory and clinical IVF/ICSI outcomes still remains controversy. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether a microfluidic sperm sorting device (Fertile Plus®) has a positive add-on effect on laboratory and clinical outcomes. Sibling oocytes of 81 patients were assigned to two sperm sorting groups including swim up and Fertile Plus®. All embryos were cultured until day 5/6. Fertilisation, embryo quality and blastocyst development were assessed as primary outcomes among 81 patients; clinical pregnancy, implantation and live birth rates were analysed as secondary outcomes as a subgroup analysis due to transfer cancellations. No statistically significant differences were found between groups in terms of all outcomes analysed in laboratory and clinical terms (p >.05 for all). The results of this study suggest that sorting spermatozoa through Fertile chip does not improve laboratory outcomes significantly and does not seem to have a positive contribution to clinical outcomes.