Infertility treatment outcomes in women over 40 years treated by assisted reproductive technologies using their own oocytes cultured in low lactate embryo culture medium
- Authors: Khachatryan L.V.1, Smolnikova V.Y.2, Makarova N.P.2, Sysoeva A.P.2, Kulakova E.V.2, Kalinina E.A.2
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Affiliations:
- I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University)
- Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia
- Issue: No 4 (2025)
- Pages: 71-78
- Section: Original Articles
- URL: https://journals.eco-vector.com/0300-9092/article/view/685471
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.18565/aig.2025.46
- ID: 685471
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Abstract
Relevance: Advanced maternal age is one of the most significant non-modifiable factors affecting fertility and success of assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs. Currently, researchers are focusing on optimizing the embryonic stage to enhance embryo viability and implantation potential.
Objective: To study pregnancy outcomes in women over 40 years of age following infertility treatment using ART with oocytes cultured in low-lactate embryo culture medium.
Materials and methods: This study included 520 infertile couples with women of advanced reproductive age (>40 years). They were divided into two groups based on the embryo culture medium used: group 1 (n=264), which used low-lactate CSCM-NX medium, and group 2 (n=256), which used one-stage classical G-TL medium.
Results: Embryo culture in low-lactate medium (group 1) resulted in a statistically significant increase in the embryo blastulation rate (39.0% compared to 31.1% in group 2, p=0.05) and blastocyst rate (p=0.04). Additionally, embryo culture in low-lactate medium led to a statistically significant decrease in the number of cycles with canceled embryo transfers because of unsatisfactory quality (14.7% in group 1 compared to 24.2% in group 2; RR=0.61, 95% CI: 0.43–0.88, p=0.007), and an increase in the pregnancy rate (14.4% in group 1 compared to 8.2% in group 2; RR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.0–3.3, p=0.02). There was no statistically significant difference in birth rate.
Conclusion: For women of advanced reproductive age, the use of a low-lactate embryo culture medium is a promising approach to increase blastocyst rates, which may reduce the number of ovarian stimulations and improve the chances of obtaining euploid embryos and live births.
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About the authors
Lia V. Khachatryan
I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia (Sechenov University)
Author for correspondence.
Email: leahkhachatryan@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4867-500X
PhD student at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, Perinatology and Reproductology, Faculty of Postgraduate Professional Training of Physicians
Russian Federation, 119991, Moscow, Trubetskaya str., 8-2Veronika Yu. Smolnikova
Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia
Email: v_smolnikova@oparina4.ru
Dr. Med. Sci., Leading Researcher at the Department of IVF named after Prof. B.V. Leonov
Russian Federation, 117997, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4Natalya P. Makarova
Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia
Email: np_makarova@oparina4.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1396-7272
Dr. Med. Sci., Leading Researcher at the Department of IVF named after Prof. B.V. Leonov
Russian Federation, 117997, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4Anastasia P. Sysoeva
Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia
Email: sysoeva.a.p@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6502-4498
PhD, Clinical Embryologist, Department of IVF named after Prof. B.V. Leonov
Russian Federation, 117997, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4Elena V. Kulakova
Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia
Email: e_kulakova@oparina4.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-4433-4163
Dr. Med. Sci., Senior Researcher at the Department of IVF named after Prof. B.V. Leonov
Russian Federation, 117997, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4Elena A. Kalinina
Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of Russia
Email: e_kalinina@oparina4.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8922-2878
Dr. Med. Sci., Professor, Head of the Department of IVF named after Prof. B.V. Leonov
Russian Federation, 117997, Moscow, Ac. Oparin str., 4References
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