Prevention of age-related aneuploidies by polar body testing of oocytes

Purpose: We previously demonstrated that aneuploidy-free oocytes may be pre selected by testing the first and second polar bodies removed from oocytes following their maturation and fertilization. The present paper describes t he results of the application of the method in 659 in vitro fertilization c ycles from patients of advanced maternal age. Methods: Using micromanipulation techniques, 3943 oocytes were tested by po lar body sampling and fluorescent in situ hybridization analysis using spec ific probes for chromosomes 13, 18, and 21. Results: Fluorescent in situ hybridization results were available for 3217 (81.6%) of 3943 oocytes studied, of which 1388 (43.1%) had aneuploidies; 35 .7% of the aneuploidies were of first meiotic division origin, and 26.1% of second meiotic division origin. Most errors in the first meiotic division were represented by chromatid malsegregation. The transfer of embryos deriv ing from 1558 of 1829 aneuploidy-free oocytes in 614 treatment cycles resul ted in 131 clinical pregnancies and 88 healthy children born after confirma tion of the polar body diagnosis. Conclusions: Polar body testing of oocytes provides an accurate and reliabl e approach for prevention of age-related aneuploidies in in vitro fertiliza tion patients of advanced maternal age.