#116 : Prevalence of Aneuplodies in Chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y in Embryos Generated by ICSI of Fertile Couples

Abstract

Background and Aims: It has previously been reported that up to 70% of the embryos generated in an ART lab are chromosomally abnormal. Abnormalities in chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y have been observed to be as common as 63% in embryos of sub-fertile couples. The aim of this study was to find if these abnormalities are just as common in embryos of fertile couples who have no history of an affected child. Method: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on 409 embryos obtained from 113 couples undergoing preimplantation genetic testing at an ART center in Pakistan, between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022. The inclusion criteria was that fertile couples who had come for gender selection for family balancing. Age range of female partners was 28 years to 38 years. Male partners had normal semen parameters as per the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. Results: A total of 70.7% (289/409) were unaffected by aneuploides in the five chromosomes. There was a significant difference in the ratio of normal to abnormal embryos. Out of the normal embryos, there was no significant difference in the male (34.5%) and female (36.1%) embryos. There was no significant difference in the number of abnormal female and male embryos (p=0.127). Among the aneuploidies in the five chromosomes, trisomy 21 was the most common (n=27; 6.6%). Conclusion: Approximately 20% of sub-fertile couples have an unknown etiology. Our results indicate that the five commonly known aneuploidies found in embryos of sub-fertile patients have a low prevalence in fertile patients. It is worth noting that this study is limited by the fact that abnormalities in sub-fertile couple were not analyzed and statistics from other already published studies was relied upon. Nonetheless, this data has provided perspectives for counselling couples of unexplained sub-fertility.