Humidified atmosphere in a time-lapse embryo culture system does not improve ongoing pregnancy rate: a retrospective propensity score model study derived from 496 first ICSI cycles

The Task Matters: A Comprehensive Review and Proposed Literature Score of the Effects of Chemical and Physical Parameters on Embryo Developmental Competence

“…It is evident that a humid environment plays a crucial role in reducing medium evaporation, leading to increased osmolality and pH [12][13][14]. While basic research studies show increased osmolality in culture medium under DC [12][13][14], these conditions do not seem to have negative effects on biological and clinical outcomes such as blastulation and pregnancy rates [16,17]. In the LS calculation, we analyzed four studies obtaining a low LS of 5, suggesting contradictory results (Table 2).…”

“…Interestingly, another recent study using sequential medium yielded similar results. The authors suggest that HC do not enhance the rate of ongoing pregnancy and several embryological outcomes when employing a day 3 medium change-over [17]. These recent results [16,17] are reinforced by the control approach (the same incubator under two different conditions).…”

“…These parameters encompass a range of environmental conditions, including temperature, oxygen concentration, humidity conditions (HC), the use of oil overlay, and light exposure, all of which are carefully regulated within the laboratory setting. Moreover, these parameters directly influence the embryo metabolic activities [4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. It is well established that temperature ensures proper enzymatic reactions and cellular functions [4].…”

“…Recently, due to the introduction of dry incubators, several studies have investigated the impact of humidity conditions (HC) and dry conditions (DC) on IVF outcomes. While basic research studies show increased osmolality in culture medium under DC [12][13][14], these conditions do not seem to have negative effects on biological and clinical outcomes such as blastulation and pregnancy rates [16,17]. By carefully controlling these parameters, embryologists create an environment that mimics the natural conditions required for healthy embryo development.…”

Compatibility of time-lapse dry incubator onin vitroproduction of bovine embryos

“…In human ART, the integration of dry incubators with time-lapse imaging systems is gaining traction as a high-quality assessment platform. Dry incubators offer distinct advantages over traditional humidified incubators, including a reduced risk of contamination, stable temperature control, and minimal maintenance requirements, including gas consumption (carbon dioxide and nitrogen) [4][5][6]. These features make dry incubators an attractive option for embryologists and clinicians, particularly for highthroughput ART laboratories.…”