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IUI and uterine lavage of in vivo–produced blastocysts for PGT purposes: is it a technically and ethically reasonable perspective? Is it actually needed?

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Abstract

A recent study by Munné et al. portrayed a protocol to retrieve in vivo produced blastocysts after IUI and uterine lavage for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) purposes. The authors claimed this protocol might represent a reasonable future perspective for patients who do not want to undergo IVF, but still want to be informed about their embryos’ genetic/chromosomal defects. Although the intent of making PGT available also to patients who cannot or do not need to undergo IVF is respectable, the value of this study is undermined by severe technical and ethical issues. Munné and colleagues’ paper was discussed within the executive committee (i.e., president and vice-president of the society, director and vice-director of the scientific committee, secretariat, and counselors), the special interest group in reproductive genetics, the scientific committee, and the collegio dei probiviri of the Italian Society of Embryology, Reproduction and Research (SIERR). The points raised from this discussion are summarized in this opinion paper.

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Acknowledgments

This opinion paper was produced after being approved from the executive committee of SIERR (LDS, DC, AA, EL, CS, LSF, and FGK) and the special interest group in reproductive genetics (AC, CDP, and DZ). The document was circulated among the scientific committee (Stefano Canosa, Francesco Capodanno, Livio Casarini, Sandra Cecconi, Mariabeatrice Dal Canto, Laura Di Renzo, Roberto Gualtieri, Csilla Krausz, Sergio Ledda, Roberta Maggiulli, Massimo Menegazzo, Sandra Moreno, Stefania Nottola, Francesco Pallotti, Marianna Pelloni, Valerio Pisaturo, Maurizio Poli, Liborio Stuppia, Carla Tatone, Carlotta Zacà, Filippo Zambelli, and Maurizio Zuccotti) and the collegio dei probiviri (Paolo Giovanni Artini, Rosanna Ciriminna, and Laura Rienzi) of the SIERR, and all members agreed with it.

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Correspondence to Danilo Cimadomo.

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De Santis, L., Cimadomo, D., Capalbo, A. et al. IUI and uterine lavage of in vivo–produced blastocysts for PGT purposes: is it a technically and ethically reasonable perspective? Is it actually needed?. J Assist Reprod Genet 37, 1579–1582 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-020-01813-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-020-01813-7

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