Assessment of Embryo Quality and Viability Through Embryo-Derived Platelet Activating Factor

Nearly 90% of apparendy normal embryos fail to implant in the uterus following embryo transfer. This implantation failure might probably be due to a combination of embryonic and uterine factors.1 O’Neill et al.,2 reported that an increased vascular demand for blood platelets, resulting in mild thrombocytopenia, was an initial maternal response to pregnancy in mice3 and humans.2 In both these species, this effect was a direct consequence of a factor produced by the fertilized ova, the platelet activating factor (PAF).4 This embryo-derived PAF showed similar chemical, biochemical and physiologic properties as the PAF, l-0-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glyceryl-3-phosphocholine (PAF- acether).5