Vivanco, L; Bartolome, B; San Martin, M; Martinez, A. 2011. Bibliometric Analysis of the Use of the Term Preembryo in Scientific Literature. JASIST 62 (5): 987-991.

[Eugene Garfield]

Vivanco, L; Bartolome, B; San Martin, M; Martinez, A. 2011. Bibliometric 
Analysis of the Use of the Term Preembryo in Scientific Literature. JOURNAL OF 
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 62 (5): 
987-991.

Author Full Name(s): Vivanco, Luis; Bartolome, Blanca; San Martin, Montserrat; 
Martinez, Alfredo
Language: English
Document Type: Article
KeyWords Plus: EMBRYO RESEARCH; DEBATE

Abstract: Our objective was to determine the prevalence of the term 
preembryo in the scientific literature using a bibliometric study in the Web of 
Science database. We retrieved data from the Web of Science from 1986 to 
2005, covering a range of 20 years since the term was first published. 
Searches for the terms embryo, blastocyst, preimplantation embryo, and 
preembryo were performed. Then, Boolean operators were applied to measure 
associations between terms. Finally, statistical assessments were made to 
compare the use of each term in the scientific literature, and in specific areas 
where preembryo is most used. From a total of 93,019 registers, 90,888 
corresponded to embryo; 8,366 to blastocyst; 2,397 to preimplantation 
embryo; and 172 to preembryo. The use frequency for preembryo was 2:1000. 
The term preembryo showed a lower cumulative impact factor (343) in 
comparison with the others (25,448; 5,530; and 546; respectively) in the 
highest scored journal category. We conclude that the term preembryo is not 
used in the scientific community, probably because it is confusing or 
inadequate. The authors suggest that its use in the scientific literature should 
be avoided in future publications. The bibliometric analysis confirms this 
statement. While preembryo hardly ever is used, terms such as preimplantation 
embryo and blastocyst have gained wide acceptance in publications from the 
same areas of study.

Addresses: [Vivanco, Luis; Bartolome, Blanca; Martinez, Alfredo] Ctr Biomed 
Res La Rioja, Logrono 26006, La Rioja, Spain; [San Martin, Montserrat] Univ La 
Rioja, Logrono 26006, La Rioja, Spain
Reprint Address: Vivanco, L, Ctr Biomed Res La Rioja, Logrono 26006, La Rioja, 
Spain.

E-mail Address: lvivanco at riojasalud.es
ISSN: 1532-2882
DOI: 10.1002/asi.21505
URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/asi.21505/abstract