Microfluidic Chip Method Versus Density-gradient Centrifugation Method in IVF

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Microfluidic chip: The Sperm Separation Device - ZyMōt Multi 850µL (ZyMōt Fertility, Inc) will be used. The microfluidics chamber will be used according to the manufacturer's instructions. 850 μL of the semen sample will be inserted into the inlet port of the device and 750 μL of fertilization media will be inserted into the outlet port. The device with the semen sample inside will be incubated in 6% CO2 at 37°C. After 30 min, 500 μL of the sample at the outlet port will be removed from the outlet port and pipetted into a labelled test tube.

Density-gradient centrifugation: After liquefaction, sperm preparation will be completed by a discontinuous density gradient centrifugation method, using Pureception (CooperSurgical, Denmark) sperm density gradient media. The resulting sperm pellet after centrifugation will be washed once with the sperm washing medium (G-IVF Plus, Vitrolife, Sweden) The washed spermatozoa will be resuspended with the same medium, adjusting the final volume to 0.5 mL.

Study summary

Infertile patients attending IVF treatment at the Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Embryology, Queen Mary Hospital and Kwong Wah Hospital will be recruited during ovarian stimulation for IVF. Subsequently, they will be randomly assigned on the day of oocyte retrieval by a laboratory staff into one of the following two groups: (1) the microfluidic chip group and (2) the density gradient group for sperm preparation and subsequent use in fertilization. Other IVF procedures will be the same as our usual practice. Both patients and clinicians were blinded from the group allocation i.e. a double blind study. The primary outcome is the cumulative live birth rate defined as the number of pregnancies leading to live birth within 6 months of randomisation.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• cumulative live birth rate — within 6 months of randomisation.
  cumulative live birth rate defined as the number of pregnancies leading to live birth within 6 months of randomisation.

Trial sites (1)

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