ABSTRACT
The emergence of new omics technologies such as epigenomics, genomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics have enabled research into new molecular methods for embryo selection, leading to the definition of optimal molecular traits of germ cells, embryos, and endometrium. This chapter is organized to provide a brief background on the applications of omics technologies to female reproductive target cells and tissues. D'Alessandro et al. used mass spectrometry in an attempt to characterize the metabolomic profile of blastocoele fluid withdrawn from a blastocyst cavity prior to cryopreservation, with the purpose of providing metabolite information to support estimations of implantation. Metabolomics can be used in reproductive technology for embryo viability assessment by identifying key in-culture media biomarkers of the developing embryo, to assist in selecting viable embryo(s) with implantation potential. However, recent randomized control studies found the addition of metabolomics profiling of embryo culture medium to standard embryo morphology alone does not improve the chance of a viable pregnancy.
