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FSA FREE COMMUNICATIONS-SPERM AND EMBRYOSFSA FREE COMMUNICATIONS-SPERM AND EMBRY~'ANALYSIS OF ANEUPLOIDY IN EMBRYOS FROM 53 IVF PATIENTS WITHPOOR PROGNOSIS OF PREGNANCYL. R. Gras \ G. M. Jones 2, A. P. Kausche 2 and A. O. Trounson 21. Monash IVF, 252 Clayton Rd., Clayton, Victoria, 31682. Monash Institute ofReproduction and Development, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3168IntroductionNumeri~al chr~mosome abno~alityrates of57% have previously been reported in morphologicallynormal embryos fromIVF patIents wIth poor progn~~lSofpregnancy (i.e. ~ 37 years ofage, repeated IVF failures and/or altered karyotype) (1).T~ese chromosome abnorm~htl~s have been postulated as a possible cause ofpoor embryo viability, resulting in IVFfallures ~he~ embry~ selectIOn.1S based purely on morphological criteria. Selection ofchromosomally normal embryos fortransfer slgmfica?tly l~cr~ased Implantati~n rates. Comparison ofembryo morphology and corresponding aneuploidydemonstrated a higher l~cldence ~fnumencal chromosome abnormalities in both slower (5-6 cell, 61% aneuploidy) andaccelerated.(>8 c~ll, :6Yo aneUplOI?y) c!eavage stage embryos, than in embryos at the 7-8 cell stage (42% aneuploidy) onday 3 po~t-InsemmatlOn (1)..IdentlficatIOn ofembryos that possess a greater potential to develop to term is beneficial inIVF, pa~tlcularly when selectmg fortransfer from a large cohort ofembryos. Parameters likely to reflect increased risk ofaneuplOIdy, and hence reduced embryo viability are therefore advantageous.Materials and MethodAneuploidy was investigated i~ a group of53 IVF patients with poor prognosis ofpregnancy. Embryo biopsy wasperf~rr.ne~on day 3 embryos WIth ~ 5 cells, by laser zona drilling, removal of 1-2 blastomeres and fluorescent in situhybndl~atlOn (FISH) analysis for chromosomes X, Y, 13, 18 and 21 (25 patients) and in addition, chromosomes 16 and 22(28 patIents).ResultsA total of.3 62 em~ryos were biopsied. FISH analysis was possible from 314 embryos (87%), resulting in identification of158 euplOId (50.3 Ya) ~d.15? ane~ploid (~9.7%) embryos. No FISH result was obtained from 48 embryos (blastomeres~ere anucleate or hybndlsatlOn faded). SIxty-five aneuploidies involved single monosomies or trisomies (41.7%), 81Involved ~o:e than one chromosome error (51.9018cell) embryo~ was 54.3 Ya, however thIS was not slgmficantly greater than in 7-8 cell embryos (P>0.05). Aneuploidy inslower cle~vmg embryos (5-6 cell) was 61% when associated with high (>113) fragmentation and 55.7% with little or nofragmentatIOn (P>0.05). More ~lastomer~~biopsied from 5-6 cell embryos were considered anucleate (14/129, 10.9%) thanfrom !-8 cell embryos (7/176, 4Ya). AddltlOnaIIy, of17 biopsied muitinuceated blastomeres, only 4 were found to beeuplOId. .Trans~er ofa total of 118 embryos identified as normal for the chromosomes tested resulted in 7 ongoingpregnancIes, WIth a pregnancy rate of 14% and implantation rate of6%.ConclusionWe confi:~ that embtyos from patients with poor prognosis ofpregnancy have a high incidence ofchromosome numericalab~ormahtles. EXclu~lOn from tr~sfer of cI:r0mos?~llyabnormal embryos has the potential to improve prognosis in thesepatIents. MorphologIc~1 obs~rv~tlOns co~bmed WIth Information derived from preimplantation diagnosis provides furthervaluable embryo sel~ctlOn cn!ena. SelectlOn for transfer ofgood quality 7-8 cell embryos on day 3 in preference to thosethat are slower cleavmg, may mcrease chance ofchromosome normality andtherefore improve implantation potential.EXPERIENCE WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF A COMPREHENSIVEPREIMPLANTATION DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE FOR SERIOUS GENETIC DISEASEMcArthur, S.J., de Boer, K.A., Leigh, D., Roberts, C.G., Catt, J.W., Bowman, M.C., Persson, J.A., Anderson,J.C., and Jansen, R.P.S.Sydney IVF, Sydney, NSW 2000.Introduction. In the 1990s Sydney IVF considered that a comprehensive preimplantation genetic (PGD) service wouldrequire optimum laboratory practices in the otherwise different fields ofin vitro fertilization (including embryo culture to atleast the morula stage to permit transfer ofmetabolically uncompromised embryos after biopsy), cytogenetics with rapiddetection ofchromosomes using fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH - for rapid identification ofcertain autosomes andthe sex chromosomes in removed blastomeres and/or polar bodies) and accurate polymerase chain reaction (PCR)techniques with reliable products derived from singles copies ofDNA. Therefore, before the introduction ofPGD, threedistinct service were developed to functional efficiency, after which they were integrated to comprise the PGD project.Methods. Development ofstage specific culture medium and optimum embryo culture methods have been describedpreviouslyl. The PGD laboratory team was integrated with the clinical genetics team to consider each couples PGDrequirements. Pregnancies followed the abandonment ofacid Tyrode's for opening ofthe zona pellucida and the useinstead ofa FERTILASE® near infrared laser. As well as for avoiding sex-linked genetic disease, IVF with selection ofembryos on the basis ofsex and apparent euploidy has, for some families, been for the (non-HIC-rebated) purpose ofaddinga child ofthe other sex to existing children.Results.PGD ResultsOverall AssistedConception results atSIVF,1998Overall PGD Sex Selection Genetic PGD