O-065 PGT-A reveals triploid embryos among normally fertilized oocytes: Frequency and blastocyst features
Authors: Nohales M , Coello A , Insua F , Escrich L , Martín Á , Mifsud A , De los santos M J 
Published: July 2024

Study question

Is there any embryo parameter that could differentiate 2 pronucleus (PN) triploid from 2 PN euploid embryos?

Summary answer

Accuracy in the fertilization check is still necessary as 2 PN but triploid embryos are due mostly to retention of the second polar body (PB).

What is known already

Since blastocyst culture has evolved and the development of genetic technologies enables to know the karyotipe of the embryos, the concept of normal fertilization is being revised. Commonly, correct fertilization is denoted by the appearance of 2 PN 16-18h after insemination. Deviation from 2PN is considered evidence of abnormal fertilization and ploidy anomalies. However, not all oocytes exhibiting 2 PN are euploids. After performing NGS in trophectoderm biopsies for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), a percentage of embryos are categorized as triploids.

Study design, size, duration

Retrospective study including 1862 cycles from 1605 patients aged 18-45 years old who underwent PGT-A with NGS of trophectoderm biopsies in our IVF center from 2019 to 2023. From 6526 analyzed blastocysts in an independent Genetics laboratory, 59 were categorized as triploids.

These 59 blastocysts were obtained from 57 PGT-A cycles and belonged to 54 women. In total, these patients had 266 biopsied blastocysts. From the remaining 207 embryos, 42 were called as euploids.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

In embryos cultured in time-lapse, fertilization was re-evaluated to check the appearance of 2PN and the second PB extrusion. Genetic triploid embryos were analysed in relation to the day of biopsy (day 5 vs day 6), the trophectoderm quality and the timing of the first cell divisions (time of cleavage from 2 to 6 cells: t2, t3, t4, t5, t6).

Categorical variables are shown as rate. T-student tests were performed. P-value&lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Main results and the role of chance

The re-evaluation of the fertilization of the 59 triploids categorized as 2 PN revealed 50 oocytes 2 PN, 8 embryos 3 PN and 1 embryo 2 PN + 1 micronuclei configuration. Therefore, the prevalence of real triploidy in 2PN embryos was 0,8% (n = 50/6526; CI95%:0,6-1,0%). These data showed that 2PN zygotes may give rise to embryos with altered ploidy.

From 27 triploid 2PN embryos was possible to access to the whole development time-lapse images. Just 33,3% of triploid embryos exhibited the extrusion of the second PB, while 100% of euploid sibling embryos showed this extrusion (N = 9/27 vs N = 24/24,;p&lt;0,005).

Comparing 2 PN triploid and the rest of the embryos from the same cohorts, there were no differences regarding the day of biopsy (N = 31/176 day 5 biopsy, 17.6% vs N = 19/81 day 6 biopsy, 23.5%; p &gt; 0.05). On the contrary, a worse blastocyst quality showed a significant relation with triploidy (N = 23/161,14,2% of good quality embryos are triploid vs N = 27/96, 38,6% of fair quality embryos are triploids; p:0.006).Embryos cleavage time points up to 6-cell stage did not show any significative difference between triploid and euploid embryos (t2: 27.36h vs 25.8h; t3: 38.5h vs 35.6h; t4 39.4h vs 37.2h; t5 52.8h vs 47.0h; t6 56.2h vs 52.1h; all comparisons p &gt; 0.05).

Limitations, reasons for caution

The incidence of triplody from 2PN zygotes may vary among IVF laboratory settings. The small sample size may be responsible of no difference in morphokinetics.

Wider implications of the findings

Fertilization check should persist in IVF procedures. Special consideration should be given to the second PB extrusion as triploidy is the most common form of aneuploidy observed in the first trimester miscarriages. The role of diploid spermatozoa, the size of the pronucleus and location should be explored in further studies.

Trial registration number

NOT APPLICABLE