Influência do estágio de desenvolvimento e do tempo de cultivo de embriões bovinos produzidos in vitro sobre a taxa de concepção

Abstract

In vitro embryo production (IVEP) is a highly efficient reproductive biotechnical process that has been generating impressive results for years. However, it is a complex and delicate process composed of several stages, ranging from the selection of recipients and donors to laboratory procedures such as maturation, fertilization, and in vitro culture. This complexity arises from the fact that the success of the technique is influenced by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors, including the season, thermal stress, semen quality, condition of the recipient's corpus luteum, donor breed, embryonic development stage, nutritional status of the recipientsand sanitary conditions. This study focuses on the influence of the embryonic development stage and the duration of in vitro embryo culture, analyzing how these factors affect the pregnancy rate. The analysis was conducted using data collected and provided by Cenatte Embryos, at the Pedro Leopoldo unit, during the period from August 2023 to August 2024. Initially, 65,565 embryos were evaluated, of which only those with confirmed pregnancy through rectal palpation, assisted by ultrasonography, were considered, totaling 20,802 embryos for analysis. The results indicated that embryos in more advanced stages of development showed higher pregnancy rates compared to those in earlier stages. Furthermore, embryos that developed faster, i.e., those requiring shorter culture times, also demonstrated superior pregnancy rates.