The reproductive history of a woman who has undergone medically assisted procreation without becoming pregnant does not compromise the chances of success of subsequent cycles. This has been shown by a new encouraging study by the GeneraLife team in Rome, published in the journal ‘Human Reproduction’, with the suggestive title: “Leave the past behind: women’s reproductive history shows no association with blastocysts’ euploidy and limited association with live birth rates after euploid embryo transfers“.
The first author, Danilo Cimadomo, Science & Research manager of GeneraLife explains: “The experience of abortions or implantation failures after an embryo transfer worsens the already difficult condition of infertility and often risks discouraging patients.
We therefore approached this project with the idea that the main enemy of these couples was the drop out from the search for pregnancy following these adverse events”. The study therefore aimed to produce valuable information on this topic, still largely missing in the literature.
“The analysis of 2,676 patients with at least one blastocyst subjected to biopsy for chromosomal analysis at our center since 2013 – continues Cimadomo – has outlined a scenario in which the only relevant parameter on the rate of euploidy is the maternal age at the collection of the oocytes.
Out of this, whatever the reproductive history of each woman was, we did not show any improvement or worsening compared to what was theoretically expected. This information is fundamental for counseling, especially following a previous negative reproductive history. Even having produced in previous cycles exclusively embryos affected by chromosomal abnormalities showed no prognostic value on the embryonic cohorts obtained later.
A slight reduction, however, exists in the implantation rates of euploid embryos transferred to women with experience of 2 or more previous failures. “This must not scare – says Cimadomo – but encourage research into more in-depth diagnostic tests, with the aim of improving the prognosis in these patients.
In conclusion, the study suggests that, where the clinician recognizes the conditions in terms of age and ovarian reserve to face a further attempt, the woman should not be discouraged by an adverse reproductive history”.
