Fig. 13.1
Unadjusted live birth rate per 100 cycles by number of embryos transferred and maternal age (Reproduced with permission of Elsevier from Lawlor and Nelson [40])
Further improvements in single embryo transfer live birth rates are anticipated with the widespread adoption of blastocyst culture [41]. However, additional selection methods will be required as the association between euploid status and standard morphological grading of the embryo is limited [42]. In particular, the use of non-invasive assessment of morphokinetics, although having the potential to improve blastocyst selection above and beyond simple grading, has limited accuracy for detecting aneuploidy. Rather, invasive testing of the embryo is likely to be beneficial as analysis of blastocysts, even in women under 25 years of age is still associated with up to 30 % of blastocysts being aneuploid [43] and this increases to almost 80 % in women over 45 years of age. Accordingly, there are now several randomized controlled trials all consistently showing improved clinical pregnancy rates with comprehensive chromosome analysis of blastocysts as compared to selection based on blastocyst morphological grading alone.
Conclusion
It is now possible to manipulate and modify IVF cycles such that the risks are almost equivalent to spontaneous conception. The fact that assisted conception also provides ample opportunity to optimize medical comorbidities prior to conception should mean that affected women enter into pregnancy in the best possible health and informed state possible, with the highest chance of attaining a successful outcome.
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Al-Inany HG, et al. Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonists for assisted reproductive technology. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011;(5):CD001750.