LIFE by Dr. Pat
LIFE by Dr. Pat
Embryo Glue
Glue for your embryo
- Embryo glue
- IVF
- ICSI
- embryo transfer
- infertility
- trying to conceive
I suspect a lot of you have heard of Embryo Glue, or have been told you should use it. Glue for your embryo — the name is seductive, and it sounds well worth paying for, doesn't it? Before you reach for your wallet, read this first, so you know whether it will actually help you or whether you are just paying for nothing. (For my own patients I use it at every embryo transfer, at no extra charge — and I have been doing that for years.)
What is Embryo Glue?
Embryo Glue is an embryo transfer medium rich in hyaluronic acid — a protein found in abundance in the lining of the uterus during the window when the endometrium is ready to receive an embryo (a receptive endometrium).
Honestly, I am not keen on the name — it promises a bit too much. A transfer medium with a lot of hyaluronic acid in it is thick and sticky, rather like glue, and that is where the name comes from.
| Transfer medium | Hyaluronic acid (per 1 ml) |
|---|---|
| Embryo glue | 0.5 mg |
| Standard transfer medium | 0.125 mg |
How does Embryo Glue work?
The hyaluronic acid in embryo glue may help the embryo implant through four mechanisms:
- It makes conditions inside the uterine cavity closer to the natural environment during the window of implantation
- It strengthens the dialogue between the embryo and the uterine wall through the CD44 receptor
- It makes the surface of the endometrium more viscous, so the embryo moves around less once it has been placed
- It supports the embryo's continued development
Which patients does Embryo Glue actually help?
Embryo glue is an add-on treatment meant to improve the chance of implantation. That does not mean it works for every patient.
Research shows that the following patients have a higher chance of a live birth when a hyaluronic acid-enriched transfer medium is used:
- Fresh transfers (in the same cycle as the egg collection) — in frozen cycles it does not increase the chance of pregnancy
- Recurrent implantation failure — two or more transfers without a pregnancy
- Infertility caused by blocked fallopian tubes
- Women over 35
Using embryo glue correctly
Choosing the right patient is only half of it — the glue also has to be handled with the right technique to get the most out of it:
- Warm the embryo glue in a humidified incubator at 37 °C with 6% CO₂ for at least 4–18 hours
- Soak the embryo in the glue for at least 10 minutes and no longer than 4 hours before transfer, so it is thoroughly bathed in hyaluronic acid
Downsides and complications of embryo glue
Embryo glue is a fairly safe medium. There have as yet been no reports of serious complications, nor of congenital abnormalities in the fetus.
One caution
If more than one embryo is transferred, the chance of a multiple pregnancy is high. So my advice is to transfer one embryo only — a single embryo transfer.
References
- Yan Q, Zhao M, Hao F, Zhao R, Teng X, He B, Zhu C, Chen Z, Li K. Effect of hyaluronic acid-enriched transfer medium on frozen-thawed embryo transfer outcomes in RIF patients: a single-centre retrospective study. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Jul 3;14:1170727. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.
- Fu W, Yu M, Zhang XJ. Effect of hyaluronic acid-enriched transfer medium on frozen-thawed embryo transfer outcomes. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2018 Apr;44(4):747-755. doi: 10.1111/jog.13581.
- Yung SSF, Lai SF, Lam MT, Lui EMW, Ko JKY, Li HWR, Wong JYY, Lau EYL, Yeung WSB, Ng EHY. Hyaluronic acid-enriched transfer medium for frozen embryo transfer: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial. Fertil Steril. 2021 Oct;116(4):1001-1009. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2021.02.015.
- Kemp A, El-Toukhy T. A narrative review of adjuvants in in vitro fertilisation: evidence for good clinical practice. J Obstet Gynaecol. 2020 Apr;40(3):295-302. doi: 10.1080/01443615.2019.1647518.