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Reproductive outcomes in couples with recurrent pregnancy loss after embryonic chromosomal microarray analysis

  • Genetics
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Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has been widely applied to explore the genetic etiology in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). However, the reproductive prognosis in RPL couples with different types of chromosomally abnormal miscarriage remains unclear.

Objectives

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproductive prognosis among RPL couples after genetic testing in products of conception (POCs) by CMA.

Study design

In this retrospective study, 1101 RPL couples referred for genetic testing in POCs by CMA. A total of 830 couples who met the inclusion criteria were followed up for at least 24 months after the index miscarriage. The rates of live birth and adverse pregnancy events in subsequent pregnancy and cumulative pregnancies were examined.

Results

For couples with three or more miscarriage, compared with those with chromosomally normal miscarriage, a significantly higher subsequent live birth rate was found in couples with chromosomally abnormal miscarriage (66.9% vs 71.6%, P = .040). However, differences in cumulative live birth rate among couples with chromosomally abnormal miscarriage and normal miscarriage were nonsignificant (82.7% vs 80.2%, P = .131). Women with advanced maternal age showed a significant decrease in the live birth rate (P < 0.01) and an increase in the miscarriage rate (P < 0.01) than those aged < 35 years old, regardless of whether the miscarriage was chromosomally normal or abnormal. RPL couples with chromosomally normal miscarriage showed a significant decrease in live birth rates in subsequent pregnancy and cumulative pregnancies, when they had experienced a large number of previous miscarriages; however, no significant difference was observed in those with chromosomally abnormal miscarriage.

Conclusion

For women with three or more previous miscarriages, RPL couples with chromosomally normal miscarriage manifested a poorer reproductive prognosis than those with chromosomally abnormal miscarriage in subsequent pregnancy, while the cumulative live birth rate was similar. Advanced maternal age was a predictor of adverse pregnancy events, regardless of embryonic chromosomal results. Furthermore, among RPL women with large numbers of previous miscarriages, the supportive care and counselling regarding individual risk is necessary for those with chromosomally normal miscarriage.

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Acknowledgements

The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81801445 and 81701427). We greatly appreciate all the participants for their cooperation in this study.

Funding

The study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81801445; 81701427).

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Author notes

  1. Yiming Li, Ran Zhou, and Zhengyi Xia contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Prenatal Diagnosis, Women’s Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China

    Yiming Li, Ran Zhou, Zhengyi Xia, Lulu Meng, Mingtao Huang, Ping Hu, Zhengfeng Xu & Yan Wang

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  1. Yiming Li
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  2. Ran Zhou
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Zhengfeng Xu or Yan Wang.

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Ethical approval

The research Ethics Committee of Nanjing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital approved the study (2021KY-004) in accordance with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2000.

Patient consent

Informed consent was obtained from all the study participants at the time of providing samples.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Li, Y., Zhou, R., Xia, Z. et al. Reproductive outcomes in couples with recurrent pregnancy loss after embryonic chromosomal microarray analysis. J Assist Reprod Genet 41, 161–170 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-023-02971-0

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