Chen ZQ, et al. - Considering the small randomized studies indicating the association of brief incubation with a significantly higher ongoing pregnancy rate than standard incubation, researchers performed a randomized triple blind study of 320 infertile women for their first or repeated cycles undergoing IVF to determine the influence of brief incubation of oocytes and spermatozoa on the live birth rate (LBR) of IVF when compared with that of standard incubation. They randomized women into the brief incubation group (n = 160) or the standard incubation group (n = 160). In the brief incubation group, oocytes were incubated with spermatozoa (0.3–1.2 million motile sperm/ml) for 3–4 h while in the standard incubation group, oocytes were incubated with spermatozoa at similar concentration for 20 h. The groups displayed no differences in cumulative LBR indicating no improvement in LBR of IVF with brief incubation of gametes when compared with standard incubation.