Validation of Addition of Uterine Fluid to Human Embryo Culture Medium

Infertility or infertility affects about 15% of couples of reproductive age. It is estimated that 80 million people around the world suffer from this problem. Assisted reproduction techniques (ART) use culture media (during in vitro fertilization or early embryo development) with protein sources that are very different from natural sources. This media could produce an added stress to the gametes and embryos that could cause epigenetic alterations and health effects during adult life.

Our working hypothesis is based on studies in animal models (pig and cow), in which it was observed that the culture media with reproductive fluids used as additives instead of conventional sources of proteins (such as serum albumin) , produce embryos with an epigenetic profile closer to that of embryos generated in the maternal oviduct. Moreover, with these fluids, blastocysts obtained have a greater number of cells and hatchability than those produced with serum albumin alone.

Therefore, the University of Murcia, with an extensive experience in this area, and the IVI Murcia (Valencian Infertility Institute) research team have come together to launch this research project in order to determine the advantages of the use of human reproductive fluids as additives in embryonic culture media. To do this, 2 specific objectives are proposed,:

1. Creation of the first collection of human uterine fluid samples for Assisted Reproduction use.
2. To evaluate the use of uterine fluid as a media supplement in the culture media for assisted reproduction techniques, by evaluating embryo quality cultured with autologous fluid from voluntary patients (autologous culture)

This achievement would allow us the development of protocols in the nearest ART physiological conditions which represent not only a technical challenge but a biomedical responsibility that must be addressed to prevent future diseases of the offspring.