The  in vivoembryo culture device allowing for embryos to be cultured inside the uterine cavity within the intrauterine fluids, effectively enabling crosstalk with the maternal environment. The communication enabled between the maternal environment and the embryos is a fundamental difference between the Anecova method and the other “in-vivo” embryo culture systems using closed vaginal containers filled with artificial medium. 

Various studies using the Anecova method have showed promising results and demonstrated not only the safety and feasibility in a human subject, but also trends of higher implantation potential and higher proportion of euploidy for the embryos cultured  in vivo.A multi-center study is currently underway in Belgium and Denmark on a second-generation device to confirm the trends of higher implantation of  in-vivocultured embryos and gather data on a novel “full  in-vivo” clinical protocol as described below. 

The Anecova-d Device

The Anecova-d device is comprised of a permeable capsule that is loaded with injected oocytes on the day of OPU and positioned inside the uterine cavity (Fig. 1) with the help of a catheter similar to a classic embryo transfer catheter. This new approach effectively replaces the traditional incubator and artificial medium with the uterine cavity and the naturally occurring uterine fluids. The permeability of the capsule wall allows for uterine fluids to diffuse into the capsule (Fig. 2). The embryos therefore bathe in an environment containing the full range of molecules that play an important role in the major developmental milestones. Moreover the maternal environment is a perfectly controlled natural incubator gathering all the optimized and stable physical conditions.

The Anecova  full in vivo approach(Fig. 3) therefore provides the embryo with a continuum of biological milieu, from the egg fertilization to the baby delivery. The only small exception occurs at day 2 or day 3 when the embryos are briefly retrieved from the womb and examined  in vitroto allow for embryo morpho-selection and cryopreservation. A transfer of the selected embryo(s) back to the womb immediately follows this step. Thanks to this new approach, the embryo will live the two most important biological developmental steps of its early life, i.e. the fertilization and compaction/EGA, while immersed in the natural substances of the maternal womb.

Figure 1: Schematic of Anecova device in uterus

Figure 2: Schematic of micro-perforated capsule and embryos

Figure 3: Anecova full in vivo culture approach

For more information can be found at www.anecova.com

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