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Contraction behaviour reduces embryo competence in high-quality euploid blastocysts

  • Embryo Biology
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 19 July 2018

This article has been updated

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of the study is to investigate how blastocyst contraction behaviour affects the reproductive competence in high-quality euploid embryos.

Methods

Eight hundred ninety-six high-quality blastocysts derived from 190 patients (mean age 38.05 (SD = 2.9) years) who underwent preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) from January 2016 to October 2017 were included in this study. PGT-A results were reported as euploid or aneuploid. Aneuploid embryos were sub-classified into three categories: monosomy, trisomy and complex aneuploid. Retrospective studies of time-lapse monitoring (TLM) of those embryos were analysed and reproductive outcome of transferred embryos was collected.

Results

A total of 234/896 were euploid (26.1%) whilst 662/896 (73.9%) blastocysts were proven to be aneuploid from which 116 (17.6%) presented monosomies, 136 (20.5%) trisomies and 410 (61.9%) were complex aneuploid. The most frequent chromosomal complements were trisomies affecting chromosome 21 and monosomies involving chromosomes 16 and 22. Data analysis showed a statistical difference in the number of contractions being reported greater in aneuploid when compared to euploid embryos (0.6 vs 1.57; p < 0.001). Analysis of the aneuploid embryos showed that monosomies present less number of contractions when compared to embryos affected with trisomies or complex aneuploidies (1.23 vs 1.53 and 1.40; p < 0.05). No difference was observed when comparing the latter two groups. Euploid embryos presenting at least one contraction resulted in lower implantation and clinical pregnancy rates when compared to blastocysts that do not display this event (47.6 vs 78.5% and 40.0 vs 59.0% respectively).

Conclusions

Most aneuploid blastocysts diagnosed by PGT-A have complex aneuploidies, showing that aneuploid embryos can develop after genomic activation and reaching high morphological scores. It becomes clear that embryo contraction, despite being a physiological feature during blastulation, is conditioned by the ploidy status of the embryo. Furthermore, the presence of contractions may compromise implantation rates.

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Change history

  • 19 July 2018

    The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the author group section.

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Acknowledgments

The authors want to thank Professor Joy Delhanty for her valuable help and expertise revising the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Xavier Viñals Gonzalez.

Additional information

The original version of this article was revised: One of the author's name is incorrect, Svidrya Seshadri should be Srividya Seshadri.

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Viñals Gonzalez, X., Odia, R., Cawood, S. et al. Contraction behaviour reduces embryo competence in high-quality euploid blastocysts. J Assist Reprod Genet 35, 1509–1517 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1246-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1246-x

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