Value of PGT-A when only one or two blastocysts are obtained: propensity-score matching and cost-effectiveness study

To compare the effectiveness and cost of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) with or without preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) when only one or two blastocysts are obtained.

A dataset was gathered from 1829 patients including 368 non-PGT-A and 1461 PGT-A cycles with one or two blastocysts obtained, between April 2013 and July 2022. Patients were matched 1:1 by propensity-score matching for maternal age, number of metaphase-II oocytes inseminated and number of blastocysts obtained, achieving a database of 242 patients per group. The non-PGT-A and PGT-A groups were compared for differences in live birth rate (LBR) per embryo transfer (ET), cumulative LBR per patient, miscarriage rate (MR) per clinical pregnancy, number of days between oocyte retrieval and conclusion of the IVF cycle (primary outcome), mean expenses incurred at the clinic and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER).

More than twice as many ETs were conducted in the non-PGT-A group compared with the PGT-A group, yet the cumulative LBR per patient was similar between groups (23.6% (95% CI, 18.5-29.5%) vs 27.3% (95% CI, 21.9-33.4%)). This outcome was achieved with a higher LBR per ET (16.2% (95% CI, 12.6-20.5%) vs 41.5% (95% CI, 33.9-49.4%)) and lower MR per clinical pregnancy (30.1% (95% CI, 21.8-42.6%) vs 13.9% (95% CI, 7.5-24.0%)) in the PGT-A group. The MR per patient was also lower in the PGT-A group (9.5% (95% CI, 6.2-14.1%) vs 4.5% (95% CI, 2.4-8.2%)). The mean duration between oocyte retrieval and IVF cycle conclusion was 131 (95% CI, 113-150) days in the non-PGT-A group vs 74 (95% CI, 61-87) days in the PGT-A group (P < 0.001; power = 99.8%). The ICER of PGT-A for the months saved between oocyte retrieval and conclusion of the IVF cycle was €499 overall, ranging between €170 and €2065 according to the number of blastocysts obtained and/or maternal age. The ICER of PGT-A for prevented miscarriages was €18 968, decreasing to €3525 when calculated among patients aged ≥ 35 years with two blastocysts obtained.

When conducted in expert IVF clinics for patients indicated for the procedure, PGT-A is clinically valuable even when only one or two blastocysts are obtained. PGT-A reduces the number of ETs and miscarriages while the cumulative LBR per patient remains unaffected, and allows these outcomes to be achieved in a shorter timeframe. The ICER of PGT-A vs non PGT-A decreased as maternal age increased. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.