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Biological relevance of trophectoderm morphology: initial β-hCG measurements correlate with trophectoderm grading on euploid frozen embryo transfers

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Objective

To analyze the correlation between TE grading and initial β-hCG serum level after single euploid embryo transfer. Secondarily, to explore the association between TE grading with subsequent IVF outcomes.

Design

Retrospective cohort analysis.

Setting

Single, academic, private infertility and assisted reproductive care institute.

Patients or other participants

Infertility patients who underwent a single euploid embryo transfer that resulted in a positive pregnancy test.

Intervention(s)

β-hCG measurements.

Main outcome measure(s)

Correlation between TE grade with first β-hCG measurement. Second outcome measurements included ongoing pregnancy, biochemical pregnancy loss, and clinical pregnancy loss rates.

Results

2,798 cases were analyzed. A significant difference in initial β-hCG measurement among groups (TE A: median 143.4 mIU/mL IQR 79.2–211.2; TE B: 119 mIU/mL IQR 57.1–177.8; TE C: 82.4 mIU/mL IQR 36.3–136.4, p ≤ 0.0001) was observed. There was a significant correlation found between the TE grade and β-hCG measurements (p ≤ 0.0001, r2 = 0.10). TE grade was not associated with higher odds of biochemical pregnancy loss (TE A vs. TE B: aOR 1.01 CI95% 0.97–1.05; TE A vs. TE C: aOR 1.03 CI95% 0.98–1.08), or higher odds of clinical pregnancy loss (TE A vs. TE B: aOR 1.02 CI95% 0.98–1.05; TE A vs. TE C: aOR 1.03 CI95% 0.98–1.07).

Conclusions

In patients with euploid embryos, TE grade correlates with the first pregnancy test measurement of β-hCG. We propose this finding helps to appoint a relevant link between morphology assessment and early embryo development in vivo.

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Data availability

Some or all datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank all the physicians, fellows, embryologists, and research and staff members for all the valuable work and help in realizing this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, 635 Madison Ave, Floor 10th, New York City, NY, 10022, USA

    Carlos Hernandez-Nieto, Joseph Lee, Tamar Alkon-Meadows, Christine Briton-Jones, Benjamin Sandler, Alan Copperman & Tanmoy Mukherjee

  2. Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Carlos Hernandez-Nieto, Joseph Lee, Tamar Alkon-Meadows, Christine Briton-Jones, Benjamin Sandler, Alan Copperman & Tanmoy Mukherjee

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  1. Carlos Hernandez-Nieto
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Correspondence to Carlos Hernandez-Nieto.

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Hernandez-Nieto, C., Lee, J., Alkon-Meadows, T. et al. Biological relevance of trophectoderm morphology: initial β-hCG measurements correlate with trophectoderm grading on euploid frozen embryo transfers. J Assist Reprod Genet 39, 2051–2059 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-022-02553-6

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