Comparative analysis of pregnancy outcomes in preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy and conventional in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer: a stratified examination on the basis of the quantity of oocytes and blastocysts from a multicenter randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objective: To investigate variations in pregnancy outcomes between preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and conventional in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) treatment across distinct groups categorized by oocyte and blastocyst counts. Because the live birth rate (LBR) of assisted reproductive technology treatment is influenced by the number of oocytes and blastocysts retrieved. Our previous study indicated comparable cumulative LBRs (CLBRs) between conventional IVF-ET and PGT-A.

Design: A post hoc exploratory secondary analysis of data from a multicenter randomized controlled trial compared the CLBRs between conventional IVF-ET and PGT-A.

Setting: Academic fertility centers.

Subjects: A total of 1,212 infertile women with a good prognosis for a live birth after PGT-A or conventional IVF-ET were included.

Intervention: Women underwent PGT-A or conventional IVF-ET.

Main outcome measure(s): Cumulative LBR, cumulative clinical pregnancy loss (CPL) rate, and good birth outcome.

Result(s): In the study, all participants were divided into 4 groups on the basis of quartiles of the number of oocytes retrieved, or blastocysts. There was an interaction between whether to perform PGT-A and the oocyte numbers category on cumulative CPL and biochemical pregnancy loss. Chi-square analysis revealed that the PGT-A group showed a lower cumulative frequency of CPL compared with the IVF-ET group (PGT-A vs. IVF-ET: 5.9% vs. 13.7%; relative risk = 0.430; 95% confidence interval, 0.243-0.763) when the number of oocytes retrieved was <15. Although there was no interaction on CLBR when the retrieved oocyte count ranged from 19-23 (19≤ oocytes <23) the PGT-A group exhibited a lower CLBR than the conventional IVF-ET group (PGT-A vs IVF-ET: 75.6% vs 87.1%; relative risk = 0.868; 95% confidence interval, 0.774-0.973), and the average body weight of newborns from the PGT-A group was approximately 142 g lower than that of the conventional IVF-ET group (PGT-A vs. IVF-ET: 3,334 ± 479 g vs. 3,476 ± 473 g). However, no statistically significant difference in the CLBR was observed between the PGT-A and IVF-ET groups in the other oocyte or blastocyst groups.

Conclusion: When the number of retrieved eggs was <15, the PGT-A group exhibited a lower cumulative CPL rate but no higher CLBR than the conventional IVF-ET group.

Clinical trial registration number: NCT03118141.

Keywords: Cumulative live birth rate; IVF-ET; PGT-A; blastocyst; oocyte.