PGT-A Versus Blastocyst Morphology Selection

NCT03095053 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: euploid versus morphologyOptimizing implantation in FET
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 302
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Introduction Embryo aneuploidy is likely the leading cause of implantation failure in IVF cycles. Since the inception of IVF, non-invasive morphology based scoring has been the most widely used embryo selection method, resulting in relatively low embryo implantation rates. Our understanding of the optimal conditions required for in vitro embryo culture in IVF has advanced significantly over the past two decades. The implementation of improved in vitro embryo culture technologies (i.e., culture media and incubators) has resulted in an increase in the number of good quality embryos and consequently in increased numbers of blastocysts. While blastocyst transfers have seemingly improved the reproductive outcomes of IVF, they still remain suboptimal. The main objective of this randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be to investigate whether preimplantation genetic testing (i.e., PGT with comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS)) for aneuploidy is a superior embryo selection method, with the live birth outcomes of euploid blastocyst frozen embryo transfers (FET) compared with the LB outcomes of unknown-ploidy blastocyst FET, with blastocysts selected on (standard) morphological score. Methods This RCT will be conducted at a single private IVF centre performing routine segmented-IVF, with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), blastocyst freeze-all, and artificial frozen embryo transfer (art-FET). Normo-ovulatory infertile patients, with maternal age ≤35 years and at least two blastocysts with a morphology score of 2BB cryopreserved, will be randomized by computer-generated randomized allocation to either the PGT or morphology arm of the trial. All transfers will be single embryo transfers (SET), with only the first FET cycles following freeze-all to be analyzed. Consent and Ethics Akdeniz University Medical Faculty Clinical Research Ethics Committee has approved the trial (reference number: 2015/399), with anonymized results to be released in ClinicalTrials.gov. All patients will provide informed consent, which included an agreement for the use of anonymised data for research and SET.

Conditions

Pregnancy

Keywords

morphological score; preimplantation genetic testing; frozen embryo transfer; blastocyst

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• The Percentage of Patients With a Live Birth

  A live birth cycle was defined as a cycle with a delivery after 20 weeks of gestation.

  >20 weeks gestation

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• The Percentage of Patients With a Clinical Pregnancy

  >5 weeks of gestation

• The Percentage of Pregnancies That Miscarried

  <20 weeks

Study Arms (2)

PGT-A group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Next Generation sequencing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy

Procedure: comprehensive chromosome screening

Morphology group

NO INTERVENTION

morphological assessment of blastocyst by light microscope

Interventions

comprehensive chromosome screening PROCEDURE

Biopsy Blastocysts with morphological grades of ≥2BB will be biopsied on day 5 of in vitro embryo culture. Biopsies will be performed using a Hamilton Thorne Zilos laser (Hamilton Thorne, MA, USA), with 3-10 trophectoderm cells removed from the blastocysts. Comprehensive chromosome screening All trophectoderm biopsies will be processed for analysis by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS, Illumina, California, USA).

PGT-A group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may not qualify if:

• Patient couples will be excluded from the trial for the following reasons, patients with drug contraindications, patients with pathophysiology unrelated to reproduction, patients with intrauterine pathophysiologies, patients with no blastocysts, patients with \<2 blastocysts with a morphological score of 2BB.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Antalya IVF: lead

Study Sites (1)

Antalya IVF

Antalya, 07080, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Related Publications (18)

• Ahlstrom A, Westin C, Reismer E, Wikland M, Hardarson T. Trophectoderm morphology: an important parameter for predicting live birth after single blastocyst transfer. Hum Reprod. 2011 Dec;26(12):3289-96. doi: 10.1093/humrep/der325. Epub 2011 Oct 3.

  PMID: 21972253 RESULT

• Balaban B, Urman B, Ata B, Isiklar A, Larman MG, Hamilton R, Gardner DK. A randomized controlled study of human Day 3 embryo cryopreservation by slow freezing or vitrification: vitrification is associated with higher survival, metabolism and blastocyst formation. Hum Reprod. 2008 Sep;23(9):1976-82. doi: 10.1093/humrep/den222. Epub 2008 Jun 10.

  PMID: 18544577 RESULT

• Capalbo A, Rienzi L, Cimadomo D, Maggiulli R, Elliott T, Wright G, Nagy ZP, Ubaldi FM. Correlation between standard blastocyst morphology, euploidy and implantation: an observational study in two centers involving 956 screened blastocysts. Hum Reprod. 2014 Jun;29(6):1173-81. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu033. Epub 2014 Feb 26.

  PMID: 24578475 RESULT

• Casper RF, Yanushpolsky EH. Optimal endometrial preparation for frozen embryo transfer cycles: window of implantation and progesterone support. Fertil Steril. 2016 Apr;105(4):867-72. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.01.006. Epub 2016 Jan 25.

  PMID: 26820769 RESULT

• Cobo A, de los Santos MJ, Castello D, Gamiz P, Campos P, Remohi J. Outcomes of vitrified early cleavage-stage and blastocyst-stage embryos in a cryopreservation program: evaluation of 3,150 warming cycles. Fertil Steril. 2012 Nov;98(5):1138-46.e1. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.07.1107. Epub 2012 Aug 3.

  PMID: 22862909 RESULT

• Dahdouh EM, Balayla J, Garcia-Velasco JA. Comprehensive chromosome screening improves embryo selection: a meta-analysis. Fertil Steril. 2015 Dec;104(6):1503-12. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2015.08.038. Epub 2015 Sep 16.

  PMID: 26385405 RESULT

• Evans J, Hannan NJ, Edgell TA, Vollenhoven BJ, Lutjen PJ, Osianlis T, Salamonsen LA, Rombauts LJ. Fresh versus frozen embryo transfer: backing clinical decisions with scientific and clinical evidence. Hum Reprod Update. 2014 Nov-Dec;20(6):808-21. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmu027. Epub 2014 Jun 10.

  PMID: 24916455 RESULT

• Forman EJ, Upham KM, Cheng M, Zhao T, Hong KH, Treff NR, Scott RT Jr. Comprehensive chromosome screening alters traditional morphology-based embryo selection: a prospective study of 100 consecutive cycles of planned fresh euploid blastocyst transfer. Fertil Steril. 2013 Sep;100(3):718-24. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.04.043. Epub 2013 May 30.

  PMID: 23725804 RESULT

• Franasiak JM, Ruiz-Alonso M, Scott RT, Simon C. Both slowly developing embryos and a variable pace of luteal endometrial progression may conspire to prevent normal birth in spite of a capable embryo. Fertil Steril. 2016 Apr;105(4):861-6. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.02.030.

  PMID: 26940791 RESULT

• Groenewoud ER, Cantineau AE, Kollen BJ, Macklon NS, Cohlen BJ. What is the optimal means of preparing the endometrium in frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Hum Reprod Update. 2013 Sep-Oct;19(5):458-70. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dmt030. Epub 2013 Jul 2.

  PMID: 23820515 RESULT

• Harper JC, Harton G. The use of arrays in preimplantation genetic diagnosis and screening. Fertil Steril. 2010 Sep;94(4):1173-1177. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2010.04.064. Epub 2010 Jun 25.

  PMID: 20579641 RESULT

• Oron G, Son WY, Buckett W, Tulandi T, Holzer H. The association between embryo quality and perinatal outcome of singletons born after single embryo transfers: a pilot study. Hum Reprod. 2014 Jul;29(7):1444-51. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu079. Epub 2014 May 8.

  PMID: 24812313 RESULT

• Ozgur K, Berkkanoglu M, Bulut H, Isikli A, Coetzee K. Higher clinical pregnancy rates from frozen-thawed blastocyst transfers compared to fresh blastocyst transfers: a retrospective matched-cohort study. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2015 Oct;32(10):1483-90. doi: 10.1007/s10815-015-0576-1. Epub 2015 Sep 23.

  PMID: 26400506 RESULT

• Rhenman A, Berglund L, Brodin T, Olovsson M, Milton K, Hadziosmanovic N, Holte J. Which set of embryo variables is most predictive for live birth? A prospective study in 6252 single embryo transfers to construct an embryo score for the ranking and selection of embryos. Hum Reprod. 2015 Jan;30(1):28-36. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deu295. Epub 2014 Nov 5.

  PMID: 25376459 RESULT

• Schoolcraft WB, Katz-Jaffe MG. Comprehensive chromosome screening of trophectoderm with vitrification facilitates elective single-embryo transfer for infertile women with advanced maternal age. Fertil Steril. 2013 Sep;100(3):615-9. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2013.07.1972.

  PMID: 23993664 RESULT

• Van Royen E, Mangelschots K, De Neubourg D, Valkenburg M, Van de Meerssche M, Ryckaert G, Eestermans W, Gerris J. Characterization of a top quality embryo, a step towards single-embryo transfer. Hum Reprod. 1999 Sep;14(9):2345-9. doi: 10.1093/humrep/14.9.2345.

  PMID: 10469708 RESULT

• Yarali H, Polat M, Mumusoglu S, Yarali I, Bozdag G. Preparation of endometrium for frozen embryo replacement cycles: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2016 Oct;33(10):1287-1304. doi: 10.1007/s10815-016-0787-0. Epub 2016 Aug 22.

  PMID: 27549760 RESULT

• Ozgur K, Berkkanoglu M, Bulut H, Yoruk GDA, Candurmaz NN, Coetzee K. Single best euploid versus single best unknown-ploidy blastocyst frozen embryo transfers: a randomized controlled trial. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2019 Apr;36(4):629-636. doi: 10.1007/s10815-018-01399-1. Epub 2019 Jan 7.

  PMID: 30617927 DERIVED

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Kevin Coetzee
• Organization: Antalya IVF

kevincoetzee61@yahoo.co.nz

090 530 764 3135

Study Officials

• Kevin Coetzee, PhD

  Antalya IVF

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: Yes

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Scientific advisor

Model Details: single-centre randomized controlled trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 23, 2017
• First Posted: March 29, 2017
• Study Start: March 23, 2017
• Primary Completion: February 21, 2018
• Study Completion: February 21, 2018
• Last Updated: June 17, 2019
• Results First Posted: June 17, 2019

Record last verified: 2019-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)