Pregnancies resulting from embryos biopsied for preimplantation diagnosis of genetic disease: biochemical and ultrasonic studies in the first trimester of pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to investigate early biochemical and ultrasonic measurements of pregnancies resulting from embryos biopsied for preimplantation diagnosis of inherited disease.


RESULTS
Singleton pregnancies following biopsy had lower initial hCG levels [10 or 12 days after oocyte recovery (OR)], which rose steeply to match the controls by 16 days after OR. Twin biopsied pregnancies showed hCG levels lower than those of twin control pregnancies, which rose in parallel with the controls but remained lower for a longer period than the singletons. Progesterone levels showed a wide variation. Ultrasound measurements showed that overall the mean sac diameter and crown-rump length at 28 and 42 days after egg collection were similar in biopsied and control pregnancies.


CONCLUSIONS
Pregnancies resulting from biopsied embryos behave similarly to control IVF pregnancies. However, the reduction in cell mass following embryo biopsy occasionally results in reduced levels of circulating serum hCG and smaller ultrasound measurements in early pregnancy.
Soussis
I
I
Institute of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK.
Harper
J C
JC
Kontogianni
E
E
Paraschos
T
T
Packham
D
D
Handyside
A H
AH
Winston
R M
RM
D001706:Biopsy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism*; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000097:blood; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D030342:Genetic Diseases, Inborn / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D011374:Progesterone