Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for Embryo Ploidy Selection

April 7, 2026 updated by: Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa

Embryo Ploidy Selection by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: a Fast, Low Cost and Non-invasive Technique to Increase the Success Rate of ART

This study aims to validate the embryo culture medium analysis by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, as a faster and less-costly alternative to preimplantation genetic test for aneuploidy which could significantly enhance embryo selection and the success rate of assisted reproductive technologies.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Other: Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of embryo culture medium

Detailed Description

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) refers to treatments used to assist people in achieving a pregnancy. Over the last years, ART have been developed with efforts to deliver a healthy baby. However, the selection of the embryo that most likely results in pregnancy remains a critical step in ART. Currently, this selection is based on morphological assessment of the embryos, but up to 70% of those embryos display an abnormal number of chromosomes. Preimplantation genetic test for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is used to assess the ploidy of embryos, although this is an invasive, expensive and time consuming technique. Alternatively, in order to predict the ploidy of pre-implantation embryos (euploidy vs aneuploidy), we suggest to characterise the metabolic profile of the embryo culture medium by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), which is a non-invasive, low cost and fast technique.

The aim of this study is to assess whether, using multivariable analysis to all the collected NMR data, it is possible to identify a differential metabolic pattern between aneuploid and euploid embryos which could improve embryo selection.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Portugal
- - Lisbon, Portugal
    - Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 48 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy women who will undergo a In vitro fertilization followed by preimplantation genetic test for aneuploidy.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Age: ≥18 and <49 years old.
Body Mass Index ≥18.5 Kg/m2 and <30 Kg/m2.
Planned for in vitro fertilization followed by preimplantation genetic test for aneuploidy.
Oocytes retrieval and fertilization by intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Six follicles over 14 mm on the day of the triggering. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist
Signed and dated informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

Previous history of poor ovarian response (<4 oocytes retrieved) with a maximal dose of ovarian stimulation (≥300 IU/day).
Presence of a medical condition which is known to affect assisted reproductive technologies outcome (e.g. thyroid dysfunction).
Active female smoking.
Current use of anti-depressants, anti-psychotics, steroids, antiepileptics or chemotherapy.
Those unable to comprehend the investigational nature of the proposed study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Comparison of the metabolites present in the culture medium of euploid versus aneuploid embryos. Time Frame: 6 months	The metabolites present in the culture medium of euploid and aneuploid embryos will be identified by NMR and compared to the metabolites present in the culture medium without embryo (control). The metabolic profiles of cultures form euploid and aneuploid embryos will be compared to the metabolic profile of culture medium without embryo.	6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa

Collaborators

Universidade Nova de Lisboa

Investigators

Principal Investigator: Sofia Nunes, PhD, Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 7, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

June 7, 2023

Study Completion (Actual)

June 7, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 19, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 2, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

August 4, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

April 13, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 7, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

2004-LIS-037-SN

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.