O-041 Data from the ESHRE PGT Consortium - year 2021
Authors: Spinella F , Bronet F , Christopikou D , Coonen E , De Rycke M , Dimitriadou E , Zuccarello D , Goossens V 
Published: June 2023

Study question

Which are the trends shown in data collection XXIII of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) PGT Consortium compared with previous years?

Summary answer

Data collection XXIV, the year 2021, represents valuable data on PGT activity in (mainly) Europe and reports on the main trends observed, being the further expansion of blastocyst biopsy and NGS-based comprehensive testing technologies.

What is known already

The ESHRE PGT Consortium was set up in 1997 and from that time has been collecting data on PGT-M, PGT-SR and PGT-A. Since 1999, the PGT consortium has collected 105 000 embryo analyses and published 21 previous data collection sets in 17 reports. Since the year 2016 a prospective cycle-by-cycle data collection is in place.

Study design, size, duration

IVF cycle management and genetic analysis techniques are getting more complex and require more details to be reported. Therefore, ESHRE uses an online data collection system in which data are collected prospectively from oocyte retrieval to analysis, embryo transfer and pregnancy/live birth. Data are collected cycle by cycle on a voluntary basis.

Participants/materials, settings, method

For the 2021 data, individual centres (36) from 19 countries directly entered the analysis data (n = 3067) into the PGT database through software developed by ESHRE. Data were analysed at ESHRE Central Office and include all aspects of the PGT/PGT-A cycles.

Main results and the role of chance

The indications for PGT included inherited chromosomal abnormalities (n = 386 analyses), monogenic disorders (n = 1329 analyses), aneuploidy testing (n = 1147 analyses), HLA typing (alone or in combination with PGT-M (n = 4 analyses), mitochondrial disorders (5 analyses) or combinations of the above (n = 111 analyses). 85 analyses were reported without indication. In addition, 894 clinical pregnancies and 496 deliveries have been analysed in detail. The methods used for biopsy were polar body (1%), cleavage stage biopsy (16%) and blastocyst biopsy (83%), showing a continuous increase in blastocyst biopsy compared to 2020 and earlier years. The methodology used for diagnosis is what evolved most over the last years but seems to stay comparable with 2020. Data set XXIV (2021) shows around 4% of FISH, 31% of PCR and 62% of WGA. Within WGA 84% of the analyses were done using NGS, in 8% of the cases SNP arrays were used, PCR accounted for 2.5% of the analyses and in 1% array-CGH was used. In the remaining cases, combinations of the above were used. The overall clinical pregnancy rate of 29% per analysis shows an increase compared to 2020. The baby data show that it is difficult for most centres to have a detailed follow-up.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The findings apply to the 36 participating centres and may not represent worldwide trends in PGT. Data were collected prospectively, but details of the follow-up on PGT pregnancies and babies born were limited.

Wider implications of the findings

The ESHRE PGT Consortium continues its activities as an important forum for PGT practitioners to share data and exchange experiences. The information extracted from the data collection helps to monitor quality issues in PGT and survey the introduction and effectiveness of new PGT technologies and methods.

Trial registration number

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