Trophectoderm biopsy is associated with adverse obstetric outcomes rather than neonatal outcomes

Abstract

Background: With the wide application of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) with trophectoderm (TE) biopsy, the safety of PGT has always been a concern. Since TE subsequently forms the placenta, it is speculated that the removal of these cells was associated with adverse obstetrical or neonatal outcomes after single frozen-thawed blastocyst transfer (FBT). Previous studies report contradictory findings with respect to TE biopsy and obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study including 720 patients with singleton pregnancies from single FBT cycles who delivered at the same university-affiliated hospital between January 2019 and March 2022. The cohorts were divided into two groups: the PGT group (blastocysts with TE biopsy, n=223) and the control group (blastocysts without biopsy, n=497). The PGT group was matched with the control group by propensity score matching (PSM) analysis at a ratio of 1:2. The enrolled sample sizes in the two groups were 215 and 385, respectively. Results: Patient demographic characteristics were comparable between the groups after PSM. Patients in the PGT group had significantly higher rates of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) (13.5 vs. 8.8%, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02–3.05, P = 0.043), gestational hypertension (6.0 vs. 2.6%, aOR 2.65, 95% CI 1.12–6.30, P = 0.027) and abnormal umbilical cord (13.0 vs. 7.8%, aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.05–3.17, P = 0.032). However, the occurrence of premature rupture of membranes (PROM) (12.1 vs. 19.7%, aOR 0.57, 95% CI 0.35–0.93, P = 0.025) was significantly lower in biopsied blastocysts than in unbiopsied embryos. There were no significant differences in regard to other obstetric and neonatal outcomes between the two groups. Conclusions: Trophectoderm biopsy is a safe approach, as the neonatal outcomes from biopsied and unbiopsied embryos were comparable. Furthermore, PGT is associated with higher risks of HDP, gestational hypertension, and abnormal umbilical cord but has a protective effect on PROM.