Live birth sex ratios are not influenced by blastocyst-stage embryo transfer
Received 29 February 2008; received in revised form 1 June 2008; accepted 10 July 2008. published online 09 September 2008.
Objective
To analyze the sex ratio of infants born after blastocyst-stage transfer of embryos with normal preimplantation FISH genetic screening.
Design
Retrospective cohort analysis.
Setting
Large academic assisted reproductive technology center.
Patient(s)
Two hundred twenty-eight patients undergoing fresh IVF cycle with blastocyst transfer.
Intervention(s)
Preimplantation genetic screening for sex complement.
Main Outcome Measure(s)
Sex ratio in liveborn infants following blastocyst transfer.
Result(s)
One thousand thirteen embryos were normal by preimplantation genetic screening of chromosomes 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, X, and Y. Four hundred ninety-eight normal embryos were transferred to 228 patients with an overall live birth rate of 41.7%. Transferred blastocysts were selected based upon morphologic assessment. When controlling for the sex of the blastocyst embryo, there was no difference in the male-to-female delivery rate per embryo transferred (27.3% vs. 21.4%) (relative risk =1.28, confidence interval 0.93–1.74). Of the live births 51.7% were male and 48.3% were female (P=.61). Subanalysis revealed no difference in male-to-female delivery rates in groups with a 1:1 ratio of male:female embryos transferred, a non 1:1 ratio transferred, or single-sex transfers.
Conclusion(s)
Blastocyst-stage embryo transfer does not influence the live birth sex ratio of embryos with normal preimplantation FISH genetic screening.
aNational Institutes of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
bBlanchfield Army Community Hospital, Ft. Campbell, Kentucky
cReproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey, Morristown, New Jersey
Reprint requests: John L. Frattarelli, M.D., Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey, 111 Madison Avenue, Suite 100, Morristown, NJ 07960 (FAX: 732-537-0134).
J.M.C. has nothing to disclose. M.J.H. has nothing to disclose. F.V.C. has nothing to disclose. K.A.M. has nothing to disclose. R.T.S. has nothing to disclose. J.L.F. has nothing to disclose.
ABSTRACT