Table 2.

Embryonic ICM and TE cell counts in Day 8 blastocysts

Study	Treatment	Treatment date(s)	IVF replicates	Blastocysts examined	ICM number	TE number	Total number	ICM:TE Ratio
A	0 ng/ml IL6	Day 5	4	39	53.9 ± 4.2a	113.5 ± 5.1a	167.4 ± 8.3a	0.47 ± 0.03a
	1 ng/ml IL6	Day 5		35	52.2 ± 3.3a	108.6 ± 6.3a	160.8 ± 8.0a	0.51 ± 0.04a
	10 ng/ml IL6	Day 5		34	60 ± 3.6a	116.2 ± 6.5a	176.2 ± 8.2a	0.56 ± 0.05a
	100 ng/ml IL6	Day 5		34	98 ± 6.5b	113.2 ± 6.3a	211.2 ± 10.3b	0.92 ± 0.07b
B	0 ng/ml IL6	Day 3	3	16	36.8 ± 4.3a	95.6 ± 8.1a	132.5 ± 11.7a	0.38 ± 0.03a
	100 ng/ml IL6	Day 3		11	61.8 ± 8.1b	106.3 ± 10.6a	168.1 ± 14.0a†	0.65 ± 0.11b
	100 ng/ml IL6	Day 5		11	58.9 ± 7.6b	97 ± 16.5a	155.9 ± 22.5a	0.7 ± 0.09b
	100 + 100 ng/ml IL6	Day 3 + 5		12	74.3 ± 8.7b	87.3 ± 7.2a	161.5 ± 13.4a	0.87 ± 0.10c
C	0 ng/ml IL6	Day 1	4	27	56.4 ± 4.1a	111 ± 7.9a	167.3 ± 9.8a	0.56 ± 0.05ab
	1 ng/ml IL6	Day 1		39	52.5 ± 3.0a	111.7 ± 5.4a	164.2 ± 7.3a	0.49 ± 0.03a
	10 ng/ml IL6	Day 1		39	59.3 ± 3.9a	102.3 ± 4.7a	161.6 ± 6.8a	0.62 ± 0.05b
	100 ng/ml IL6	Day 1		41	88.3 ± 4.6b	112.7 ± 5.0a	200.9 ± 7.6b	0.82 ± 0.05c
D	0 ng/ml IL6	Day 1	5	28	46.4 ± 3.6a	99.6 ± 7.2a	146 ± 8.6a	0.52 ± 0.05a
	100 ng/ml IL6	Day 1		27	79.2 ± 4.7b	112.1 ± 7.0a	191.3 ± 10.2b	0.75 ± 0.05b
	100 ng/ml IL6	Day 5		28	79.4 ± 6.0b	108.1 ± 6.6a	187.5 ± 10.6b	0.77 ± 0.05b
	100 + 100 ng/ml IL6	Day 1 + 5		28	100 ± 8.4c	106.2 ± 4.8a	206.2 ± 10.1b	0.98 ± 0.09c
	200 ng/ml IL6	Day 1		27	77.4 ± 6.9b	104.5 ± 5.9a	181.9 ± 11.3b	0.75 ± 0.06b
E	0 ng/ml IL6	Day 5	4	41	56.4 ± 4.1a	112.3 ± 7.5a	168 ± 10.3a	0.53 ± 0.03a
	100 ng/ml IL6	Day 5		38	88.7 ± 6.2b	111.4 ± 6.9a	200.1 ± 8.4b	0.83 ± 0.05b
	200 ng/ml IL6	Day 5		44	93.7 ± 5.2b	116.6 ± 5a	210.3 ± 8.4b	0.83 ± 0.05b
	100 + 100 ng/ml IL6	Day 1 + 5		44	89.8 ± 5.7b	115 ± 6.5a	204.8 ± 10.5b	0.81 ± 0.05b

Different superscripts in each study denote differences. Significance established at P < 0.05

† indicates a trend (P = 0.09)