Live birth rate following endometrial preparation with daily versus depot GnRH agonist

BACKGROUND

Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa) downregulates gonadotropin secretion in the pituitary gland. It is used both in ovulation induction protocols and in artificial endometrium preparation. Frozen-thawed embryo transfer to artificially prepared endometrium (FET-APE) is a frequent procedure in vitro fertilization (IVF) which requires GnRHa. It can be used either as a daily low-dose injection or as a single depot injection. It is unclear which of these two regimens is superior for artificial endometrium preparation.

METHODS

We evaluated the data of 72 patients who had undergone frozen embryo transfer following the 5th day Preimplantation Genetic Test-aneuploidy (PGT-A) between 2018-2021. All embryos were genetically screened, and euploid single embryos were transferred. Group 1 (n: 36) used depot GnRHa, and Group 2 (n: 36) used single daily injections for artificial endometrial preparation. The outcomes for Beta Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (BHCG) positivity and live birth rates (LBR) was compared.

RESULTS

The BHCG positivity for Group 1 and Group 2 was 75% and 80.6%, respectively. The LBR for Group 1 and Group 2 were found to be 58.3% and 63.9%, respectively. There was no statistically significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

In artificial endometrium preparation, depot GnRHa offers cheaper and more convenient alternative to single daily dose injections, particularly in busy clinical settings.

Assessing the clinical viability of micro 3 pronuclei zygotes

PURPOSE

What is the rate of euploidy and clinical viability of embryos resulting from micro 3 pronuclei zygotes?

METHODS

Retrospective cohort analysis in a single, academic in vitro fertilization (IVF) center from March 2018 to June 2021. Cohorts were separated by fertilization as either a 2 pronuclear zygote (2PN) or micro 3 pronuclear zygote (micro 3PN). PGT-A was performed to identify embryonic ploidy rates in embryos created from micro 3PN zygotes. The clinical outcomes of all transferred euploid micro 3PN zygotes were evaluated from frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles.

RESULTS

During the designated study period, 75,903 mature oocytes were retrieved and underwent ICSI. Of these, 60,161 were fertilized as 2PN zygotes (79.3%) and 183 fertilized as micro 3PN zygotes (0.24%). Of the micro 3PN-derived embryos that underwent biopsy, 27.5% (n=11/42) were deemed euploid by PGT-A, compared to 51.4% (n=12,301/23,923) of 2PN-derived embryos, p=0.06. Four micro 3PN-derived embryos were transferred in subsequent single euploid FET cycles, which includes one live birth and one ongoing pregnancy.

CONCLUSION

Micro 3PN zygotes that develop to the blastocyst stage and meet the criteria for embryo biopsy have the potential to be euploid by preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and if selected for transfer can achieve a live birth. Although there are a significantly lower number of micro 3PN embryos that make it to blastocyst biopsy, the potential to continue to culture abnormally fertilized oocytes may give these patients a chance at pregnancy that they previously did not have.

Effect of trophectoderm biopsy for PGT-A on live birth rate per embryo in good prognosis patients

PURPOSE

To determine if blastocyst trophectoderm biopsy for PGT-A is associated with an increased rate of live birth per embryo in good prognosis IVF patients at a single center.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of good prognosis embryo transfer cycles at a single center from 1/1/2017 to 12/31/2019. We evaluated the rate of live birth per embryo with and without PGT-A for transfer of embryos in two groups of good prognosis patients: embryos from donor oocytes and embryos from autologous oocytes with maternal age less than 35 years at oocyte retrieval. Two-sided Fisher's exact tests were used for comparisons between groups.

RESULTS

After transfer of embryos created from donor oocytes the live birth rate per euploid embryo was 70.6% (24/34) compared to 34.3% (35/102) for untested embryos for a rate difference of 36.3% (95% CI 18.4-54.1%, p < 0.01). After transfer of embryos created from autologous oocytes with maternal age less than 35 years at oocyte retrieval the live birth rate per euploid embryo was 70.0% (49/70) compared to 52.5% (53/101) for untested embryos for a rate difference of 17.5% (95% CI 3.0-32.0%, p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

In good prognosis patients at our center the live birth rate per euploid blastocyst was higher than for untested blastocysts.

Effect of age and morphology on sustained implantation rate after euploid blastocyst transfer

RESEARCH QUESTION

What impact does maternal age and embryo morphology have on sustained implantation rates of euploid blastocysts?

DESIGN

This was a retrospective analysis of sustained implantation rates of euploid blastocysts stratified by maternal age and morphology. The primary analysis included 208 embryo transfers with a total of 229 embryos transferred from January 2017 through August 2020.

RESULTS

For all ages the sustained implantation rates for day 5 good quality blastocysts were higher than for day 5 fair, day 5 poor and day 6 blastocysts. At a maternal age of 36 years the best-fit sustained implantation rates were 86% for day 5 good quality blastocysts, 64% for day 5 fair, 63% for day 5 poor, and 51% for all day 6 blastocysts analysed as one group. When controlling for morphology and day of biopsy, there were higher sustained implantation rates for euploid embryos of younger patients compared with older patients. The best-fit sustained implantation rates for age 33 compared to age 39 years were 86% versus 80% for day 5 good, 71% versus 62% for day 5 fair, 59% versus 55% for day 5 poor, and 81% versus 46% for all day 6.

CONCLUSIONS

There was a clinically significant higher sustained implantation rate at all ages for euploid day 5 good quality embryos compared with day 5 fair, day 5 poor and day 6 embryos.

Preimplantation genetic testing to reduce preterm births in assisted reproductive technology

The 10% rate of preterm birth rate worldwide has not been proved amenable to reduction. Avoiding multiple embryo transfer in assisted reproductive technologies (ART) using in vitro fertilization is one unassailable method. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) to select only a single euploid embryo for transfer is one unequivocal way, maintaining 50%-60% pregnancy rates while avoiding twins. Contemporary methodology entails trophectoderm biopsy of a 5-6-day blastocyst, and cryopreservation of biopsied embryos while awaiting analysis by next generation sequencing. Embryo biopsy is safe, analytic validity for chromosomal analysis high, and global access to PGT high.

Cumulus cell pappalysin-1, luteinizing hormone/choriogonadotropin receptor, amphiregulin and hydroxy-delta-5-steroid dehydrogenase, 3 beta- and steroid delta-isomerase 1 mRNA levels associate with oocyte developmental competence and embryo outcomes

PURPOSE

To determine whether a selected set of mRNA biomarkers expressed in individual cumulus granulosa cell (CC) masses show association with oocyte developmental competence, embryo ploidy status, and embryo outcomes.

METHODS

This prospective observational cohort pilot study assessed levels of mRNA biomarkers in 163 individual CC samples from 15 women stimulated in antagonist cycles. Nineteen mRNA biomarker levels were measured by real-time PCR and related to the development of their corresponding individually cultured oocytes and subsequent embryos, embryo ploidy status, and live birth outcomes.

RESULTS

PAPPA mRNA levels were significantly higher in CC from oocytes that led to euploid embryos resulting in live births and aneuploid embryos compared to immature oocytes by ANOVA. LHCGR mRNA levels were significantly higher in CC of oocytes resulting in embryos associated with live birth compared to immature oocytes and oocytes resulting in arrested embryos by ANOVA. Using a general linearized mixed model to assess ploidy status, CC HSD3B mRNA levels in oocytes producing euploid embryos were significantly lower than other oocyte outcomes, collectively. When transferred euploid embryos outcomes were analyzed by ANOVA, AREG mRNA levels were significantly lower and PAPPA mRNA levels significantly higher in CC from oocytes that produced live births compared to transferred embryos that did not form a pregnancy.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, PAPPA, LHCGR, and AREG mRNA levels in CC may be able to identify oocytes with the best odds of resulting in a live birth, and HSD3B1 mRNA levels may be able to identify oocytes capable of producing euploid embryos.