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Elevated serum progesterone does not impact euploidy rates in PGT-A patients

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

Abstract

Purpose

Some women undergoing stimulated cycles have elevated serum progesterone (P) on the day of ovulation trigger, but its effect on embryo quality is unclear. We analyze embryo quality among patients with high and low serum P undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A).

Methods

This retrospective study included 1597 patients divided into two groups by serum P values: < 1.5 ng/mL or ≥ 1.5 ng/mL. A gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol was established for each patient. Serum P levels were measured on the day of triggering. Propensity score matching and Poisson regression were done. Age, body mass index, and ovarian sensitivity index were also compared.

Results

Elevated serum P was not significantly associated with euploid embryo rate or other embryo-quality variables evaluated in our study. Age was the only variable associated with euploidy rate (per MII oocyte, P < 0.001; per biopsied embryo, P = 0.008), embryo biopsy rate (P < 0.001), absolute number of euploid embryos (P = 0.008), and top-quality embryo rate (P = 0.008). Categorical variables decreased in value for every year of increased age in patients with high serum P.

Conclusions

Elevated serum P did not affect the number of euploid and good-quality embryos for transfer in GnRH antagonist intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Contrary to the clear influence of premature P elevation on endometrial receptivity based on literature, our results may help to tip the balance towards the absence of a negative effect of P elevation on embryo competence. More studies are needed to fully understand the effect of P elevation on reproductive outcomes.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings were stored in the IVI RMA Valencia computer system. The data collected are coded and pseudonymized so that no personal and clinical information of each patient can be identified.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad, IVI RMA, Valencia, Spain

    Maria Luisa Pardiñas, Mar Nohales, Elena Labarta, José María De los Santos, Amparo Mercader, José Remohí, Ernesto Bosch & Maria José De los Santos

  2. Fundación IVI, Biopolo, Iis Hospital la Le, Valencia, Spain

    Elena Labarta, Amparo Mercader, José Remohí, Ernesto Bosch & Maria José De los Santos

  3. OB/GYN Department, University of Valencia, Valencia, Spain

    Maria José De los Santos

Authors
  1. Maria Luisa Pardiñas
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  2. Mar Nohales
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  3. Elena Labarta
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  4. José María De los Santos
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  5. Amparo Mercader
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  6. José Remohí
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  7. Ernesto Bosch
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  8. Maria José De los Santos
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Contributions

All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection, and analysis were performed by Maria José De los Santos, Mar Nohales, and Maria Luisa Pardiñas. The first draft of the manuscript was written by Maria Luisa Pardiñas, and all authors commented on the previous versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria José De los Santos.

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Ethics approval

This study was conducted retrospectively using data obtained for clinical purposes. It was approved by the Ethical Committee of Clinical Research IVI Valencia (1503-VLC-017-AM).

Consent to participate

This is research of general scientific interest and will be carried out in the same center where the data was obtained; therefore, it is not considered necessary to obtain the informed consent of the subjects. There is no opposition from the subjects to the use of the data for the intended purposes.s

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The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

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Pardiñas, M.L., Nohales, M., Labarta, E. et al. Elevated serum progesterone does not impact euploidy rates in PGT-A patients. J Assist Reprod Genet 38, 1819–1826 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-021-02197-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-021-02197-y

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