Maternal Age-Related Chromosomal Aneuploidy in Human Day 3 Embryo Biopsy Blastomeres in Couples Undergoing IVF Cycles in Kuwait

Objectives: Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) has been a popular platform for preimplantation genetic testing of embryonic aneuploidy. The main objective is to study the rate of aneuploidy in human blastomeres at day 3 embryonic division biopsy in Kuwait using NGS and to further assess the relationship between maternal age and the complexity of embryonic chromosomal aneuploidy. Methods: Data was collected from a single genetics centre in Kuwait through electronic records. This retrospective study of 101 patient covered a period of 4 months (January 2022- April 2022). Information on chromosomal errors were stratified using contingency tables. Statistical analysis of aneuploid outcomes was carried out to estimate value between different maternal age groups. P values under 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Result: A total of 808 blastomeres were included in the study and deemed to have met our inclusion criteria. There was a total of 572 (70.8%) aneuploid blastomeres. Highest percentage of aneuploidy was within embryos collected from maternal ages 40 years and above (72.7%). A total of 686 aberrations were within chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X, and Y, 30.3% of which were an aneuploidy within chromosome X. Majority (66.8%) of blastomeres demonstrated an aberration in at least 3 of its chromosomes and therefore deemed as complex. Overall trisomy to monosomy ratio was 3.169. Conclusion: There was a wide-ranging variability regarding mean number of blastomeres examined across the different maternal ages. Our study has reflected the well-known association of embryonic aneuploidy with increased maternal age given the highest proportion of error (72.6%) was within blastomeres from maternal ages 40 years and above. Overall statistical analysis has however demonstrated no significant difference regarding rate and complexity of aneuploidy in blastomeres across the different maternal age groups. Larger cohort studies of aneuploidy are therefore needed for further evaluation and improve patient counselling.