Trophectoderm biopsy – Age matters

Abstract

To determine the difference in aneuploidy rate among patients in different age groups utilizing trophectoderm biopsy and 24 chromosome microarray comparative genomic hybridization (24-aCGH). Retrospective compilation of 24-aCGH blastocyst biopsy results from patients undergoing PGS between February 2009 and February 2011. Patients were stratified into 3 groups based on their age at the time of biopsy. The groups were as follows <35, 35-39 and >39. Patients considered potential candidates for IVF and PGS due to prior pregnancy losses, previous failed IVF attempts and unexplained infertility were counseled extensively prior to proceeding. Patients who opted to undergo PGS testing had trophectoderm biopsy of their embryos via laser excision of 2 to 10 cells post retrieval on day 5, 6, or 7. Following biopsy, blastocysts were vitrified individually, and the biopsed cells were sent for 24-aCGH. To date, a total of 231 blastocysts were biopsied for PGS. Of these, 48.5% were euploid, 43.7% aneuploid and 7.8% failed to produce a signal. A significant difference in the euploidy rate was observed between <35 and >39 age groups and between 35-39 and >39 age groups. There was no difference in euploidy rate between <35 and 35-39. Many aneuploid embryos displayed more than one anomaly, the frequency of which increased with age.Tabled 1Biopsy Data<3535-39>39Total# Blasts Biopsied8310939231Euploid Status51 (61.4%)1P<0.0156 (51.4%)2P<0.015 (12.8%)1P<0.01,2P<0.01112 (48.5%)Aneuploid State26 (31.3%)45 (41.3%)30 (76.9%)101 (43.7%)Failed DNA Amplification6 (7.2%)8 (7.3%)4 (10.3%)18 (7.8%)1 P<0.012 P<0.01 Open table in a new tab Previous reports have suggested a relationship between age and aneuploidy rate. Utilizing trophectoderm biopsy with microarray CGH, the long held notion of increasing aneuploidy rate with age was confirmed in this small study.