Objective To evaluate the effects of time-lapse (TL) dry culture and traditional wet culture on embryonic development in different age female groups.

Method From July 2020 to December 2021, retrospective analysis of data from 2 390 cycles of embryo culture in vitro, including 640 cycles in the TL group and 1 750 cycles in the traditional wet culture group (control group). There were no significant differences in age of females, infertility type, infertility factors, dosage of gonadotropin (Gn), and fertilization methods between the two groups. The rates of fertilization, cleavage, tranfterable embryo, high-quality embryo, blastocyst, high-quality blastocyst were compared between the two groups in different age females.

Result In the 20-29 year old females: the effective embryo rate (75.39% vs 70.15%) and the high-quality embryo rate (49.79% vs 41.98%) in the TL group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). In the 30-34 year females: the high-quality embryo rate (46.70% vs 41.43%), the blastocyst formation rate (57.14% vs 52.74%), the high-quality blastocyst rate (35.82% vs 32.26%) in the TL group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05). In the ≥40-year-old females: the high-quality embryo rate (44.05% vs48.96%), the blastocyst formation rate (34.9% vs 46.24%) and the high-quality blastocyst rate (16.11% vs 21.77%) in the TL group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion Compared with conventional wet culture, TL culture can significantly increase the success rate of embryonic development in 20-34 years old females, while the effect is not good in the older females (≥40 years old).