Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Louise Brown was the human conceived with the use of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The technology was in use many years earlier with animals and since its initial use many further improvements have been made.
According to a clinical trial conducted by experts from King’s, King’s College Hospital, and King’s Fertility, genetic testing of IVF-created embryos may help more women over 35 conceive a baby faster.
This is the first randomised controlled experiment in the world to concentrate solely on women between the ages of 35 and 42, who are more likely to produce embryos with chromosomal abnormalities. It was published today in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. Using Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A) to screen embryos for chromosomal abnormalities prior to transfer was the focus of the trial.
Researchers of the study pointed out that there was an increased risk of miscarriage and infertility that can result from older women producing embryos with an incorrect number of chromosomes. They encouraged women to take the PGT-A in private or not at all because current NICE guidelines do not advise its routine use. This advice is supported by earlier research showing that aneuploidy—an aberrant number of chromosomes in a cell—occurs less frequently in trials with youthful average participant ages. With the utilization of mosaic embryos—embryos with both normal and aberrant cells—which are commonly observed in IVF but are rarely included in research, had the study set a new standard as well.
By concentrating on older patients and evaluating the viability of carrying out a multi-center randomised controlled trial that investigates the test’s effect on pregnancy and live birth rates in women aged 35–42, the pilot study of 100 women receiving fertility treatment at King’s Fertility sought to close the evidence gap. The therapeutic treatment as well as the embryology procedures for the research were carried out at King’s Fertility.
The open-label study took place from June 2021 to June 2023, which consisted of 50 participants in the PGT-A group and 50 in the control group.
The findings indicated that those in the PGT-A group had an increased cumulative live birth rate over up to three embryo transfers, with 72% achieving live birth when contrated to 52% in the control group.
Participants who underwent PGT-A also achieved pregnancy in fewer transfer cycles, shortening the time to conception—an outcome particularly relevant for women of advanced reproductive age.
Although this pilot study involved a limited number of participants and the observed differences did not reach statistical significance, the trend suggests a potential benefit that warrants further investigation in a larger, multi-centre trial.
Dr Sesh Sunkara, the lead author from the School of Life Course & Population Sciences and King’s Fertility, indicated that by concentrating solely on women aged 35–42 and incorporating mosaic embryos, we have tackled issues that earlier studies have not fully examined. Although larger multi-centre trials are necessary to validate these results, enhancing treatment efficiency and shortening the time to pregnancy and live birth could help lessen the physical and emotional strain of IVF for women of advanced reproductive age.
Dr Ippokratis Sarris, the Director of King’s Fertility, who is also co-author of the study, says “This research is a testament to the dedication and expertise of the team at King’s Fertility. Not only were all patients recruited and treated here, but the embryology work was also carried out by our laboratory staff. We are proud to have led this pioneering trial, which addresses one of the most important questions in IVF treatment for women over 35, and we look forward to building on these findings in larger, multi-centre studies.”
