Author(s)

Julie Weathers, Natalie Zimmerer, Lindsay Penrose, Kory Graves-Evenson, Samuel Prien

Department of Animal and Food Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, USA.

There can be little argument that embryo quality is one of the most critical factors in the success of assisted reproductive techniques. Yet the current methods of grading embryos are subjective at best. While a number of different groups have described more qualitative means of assessing embryo quality, the current standard remains morphology. Morphology has proven a good standard, but it does not allow for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities nor can it assess the biochemical status of the embryo prior to transfer. This laboratory recently described a method to estimate embryo weight and suggested weight might be a good indicator of biochemical status. The objective of the present study was to determine the relationship between maternal body composition and embryo weight and determine the influence maternal chemistry had on embryo development. The data continue to suggest that maternal body composition, especially body fat, influences the chemical nature of the embryo and may play a critical role in long-term survival.

Embryo Weight; Body Fat; Assisted Reproductive Technologies; Specific Gravity

Weathers, J. , Zimmerer, N. , Penrose, L. , Graves-Evenson, K. and Prien, S. (2013) The relationship between maternal body fat and pre-implantation embryonic weight: Implications for survival and long-term development in an assisted reproductive environment. Open Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 3, 1-5. doi: 10.4236/ojog.2013.35A2001.