[Preimplantation genetic screening for numerical chromosomal abnormalities in embryos from women of 35 years of age and older; first results in The Netherlands].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the results of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) for numerical chromosomal abnormalities in embryos from women of 35 years of age and older.


METHODS
Prospective, descriptive.


METHODS
Women who were at least 35 years received standard IVF/ICSI treatment including ovarian hyperstimulation, after which matured oocytes were recovered and inseminated. Three days after insemination, one cell was biopsied from each of the available embryos. In these cells, the copy number of 5 (first 21 patients) or 8 chromosomes was determined using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). Only embryos with a normal or unknown FISH result were implanted in the uterus. Data were collected in an electronic database.


RESULTS
PGS was done for 28 IVF- and 22 ICSI-treatments; the average age of the 50 women at the beginning of treatment was 38.5 years. There were 360 embryos generated; of the 288 biopsied embryos 156 (54%) contained an abnormal number of chromosomes. In 45 women, 1 or 2 embryos were transferred. This resulted in 8 ongoing pregnancies (8/50; 16%) and the birth of 9 children, all of whom were found to be healthy on a paediatric examination at 3 to 10 months of age. In 4 cases there was no embryo transfer because all the embryos were chromosomally abnormal.


CONCLUSIONS
In the first 50 patients in The Netherlands, PGS resulted in an ongoing pregnancy rate of 16% per woman. All children showed normal growth and development.
Mastenbroek
S
S
Academisch Medisch Centrum/Universiteit van Amsterdam, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam. s.mastenbroek@amc.uva.nl
Engel
C
C
van Echten-Arends
J
J
Sikkema-Raddatz
B
B
van Wassenaer
A G
AG
de Vries
J W A
JW
Heineman
M J
MJ
Repping
S
S
van der Veen
F
F
D000328:Adult; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008423:Maternal Age; D009426:Netherlands; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D019836:Preimplantation Diagnosis / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies