P-547 Impact of SARS-COV-2 infection on embryo euploidy rate: a retrospective cohort study of 498 PGT-A cycles in China
Authors: He Y , Lu Y , Huang J , Wei Z , Sun Y 
Published: July 2024

Study question

Does SARS-CoV-2 infection before oocyte retrieval have any impacts on embryo euploidy rate?

Summary answer

SARS-CoV-2 infection before oocyte retrieval had no detrimental impact on embryo euploidy rate, indicating that cycle cancellation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection may not be necessary.

What is known already

SARS-CoV-2 infection has significant effects on the health of people worldwide and poses a serious threat to reproductive health. According to the previous studies, SARS-CoV-2 infection had negative impacts on the blastocyst formation rate, top-quality embryos rate. However, the association between the infection and the embryo euploidy rate is indeterminate. It is still worth exploring the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on embryo euploidy rate. Especially this is the key question to be addressed for providing appropriate counseling to couples seeking for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) treatments during the ongoing pandemic.

Study design, size, duration

This was a retrospective cohort study of 498 couples who underwent PGT-A cycles with next-generation sequencing technology from November 1st, 2022 to June 30th, 2023 at a tertiary-care medical center in China.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

Women tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 before oocyte retrieval were included in the COVID-19 group, while patients who were asymptomatic and tested negative during the same period were included in the non-COVID-19 group. The primary outcome was the euploidy rate. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to the time interval between infection and oocyte retrieval. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were applied to adjust for potential confounders.

Main results and the role of chance

A total of 278 and 220 women were included in the COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 group, respectively. In the COVID-19 group, the maturated oocyte rate (79.5% vs. 83.7%, p＜0.001), number of total viable embryos (2 vs. 3, p=0.038), and number of euploid blastocyst (1 vs. 1, p=0.028) were significantly decreased compared with non-COVID-19 group. The euploidy rate (38.5% vs.40.3%, p = 0.451), aneuploidy rate (45.0% vs. 43.8%, p=0.616), and mosaicism rate (16.5% vs. 15.9%, p=0.746) were all comparable between the two groups. Results of multivariate logistic regressions revealed no association between SARS-CoV-2 infection and euploidy rate, aneuploidy rate, or mosaicism rate. Similarly, no association was detected between the time interval of infection and oocyte retrieval (≤30 days, 31-60days, 61-90 days, 91-120 days, or ≥ 120 days prior to oocyte retrieval) and euploidy rate.

Limitations, reasons for caution

The retrospective nature of the study and limited sample size for subgroup analysis limits the generalizability of the findings. Other potential confounders, such as the level of SARS-CoV-2 antibody, symptoms of infection, are needed to be taken into consideration as well. Large-scale prospective studies are warranted to confirm the conclusion.

Wider implications of the findings

Our study demonstrated that SARS-CoV-2 infection before oocyte retrieval had no detrimental impact on embryo euploidy rate, indicating that cycle cancellation due to SARS-CoV-2 infection may not be necessary.

Trial registration number

Not Applicable