Real-world experience with intravaginal culture using INVOCELL: an alternative model for infertility treatment

Teru Jellerette-Nolan; Amber R Cooper; Kevin J Doody; John E Nichols; John K Park; Robin L Poe-Zeigler; Andrew F Khair; Laura M Stong; Richard J Paulson; Gaurang S Daftary

doi:10.1016/j.xfre.2020.11.003

Real-world experience with intravaginal culture using INVOCELL: an alternative model for infertility treatment

F S Rep. 2020 Nov 20;2(1):9-15. doi: 10.1016/j.xfre.2020.11.003. eCollection 2021 Mar.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc., Parsippany, New Jersey.
² Vios Fertility Institute, Saint Louis, Missouri.
³ Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas.
⁴ Piedmont Reproductive Endocrinology Group, Greenville, South Carolina.
⁵ Carolina Conceptions, Raleigh, North Carolina.
⁶ The New Hope Center for Reproductive Medicine, Virginia Beach, Virginia.
⁷ Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California.

Abstract

Objective: To describe the current practice indications, methodology, and outcomes from a real-world experience of intravaginal culture (IVC) using INVOCELL.

Design: A descriptive study outlining real-world experience with INVOCELL that addresses patient selection, ovarian stimulation, embryology laboratory practices, and outcomes.

Setting: Five fertility centers in Missouri, Texas, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

Patients: Four hundred sixty-three patients undergoing 526 cycles.

Intervention: IVC using INVOCELL.

Main outcome measures: Cumulative pregnancy rate and live births. Secondary outcomes of interest included percent good quality embryos.

Results: IVC with INVOCELL was primarily used in women <38 years with anti-Mullerian hormone level >0.8 ng/mL. The mean numbers of retrieved oocytes ranged from 9.2 to 16. Mean numbers of oocytes and sperm-injected oocytes loaded per INVOCELL ranged from a mean of 6.4-9.5 with a reported maximum of 34 oocytes loaded into the device. Most (95%) of the embryos were transferred on day 5. The mean blastocyst recovery per oocyte loaded into the device ranged from 19% to 34%; mean cumulative live birth plus ongoing pregnancy rates ranged from 29% to 53% per cycle start and 40% to 61% per transfer.

Conclusions: This study of IVC using INVOCELL as an alternative model for infertility treatment confirms its utility as a viable alternative to standard incubator-based in vitro fertilization. The technology is compatible within the current framework of practice patterns and, when appropriately used, results in acceptable blastocyst recovery and live birth rates. Further use of INVOCELL in other clinical situations is warranted.

Keywords: INVOCELL; IUI; infertility; intravaginal culture.