ClinicalTrials.gg
CompletedNCT05488236Updated Apr 13, 2026

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance for Embryo Ploidy Selection

An observational study in Aneuploidy and Infertility, sponsored by Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa. Completed at 1 site in Portugal. Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 48 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-13.

Sponsored by Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa · Observational

Study type
Observational
Model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
30
Ages
18 Years to 48 Years
Sex
Female
01

Study summary

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.

Read the 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.

02

Conditions studied

  • Aneuploidy
  • Infertility

Keywords

  • Non-invasive embryo selection
  • Metabolic profile
  • Nuclear magnetic resonance
03

In context

Aneuploidy

73 studies on the registry are indexed under Aneuploidy; 10 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 30 is below the median of 325 across 38 observational studies indexed under Aneuploidy.

Browse Aneuploidy studies →

Lead sponsor

Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa is the lead sponsor of 9 studies on the registry; 4 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years to 48 Years
Sexes eligible
Female
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.

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Age: ≥18 and \<49 years old.
  • ≥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 .

Exclusion criteria

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, , antiepileptics or chemotherapy.
  • Those unable to comprehend the nature of the proposed study.
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(4)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

BMI (body mass index)

Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.

What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

Corticosteroids (steroids)

Anti-inflammatory medicines such as prednisone, prednisolone and dexamethasone — not the anabolic steroids used for muscle.

Studies differ in what they allow: check which steroid medicines, routes (tablets, injections, creams, inhalers, eye drops) and doses this study accepts.

Investigational drug or device

A drug or device being studied in a clinical trial.

It may be new, or already approved and being studied for another use, dose or form. Criteria often leave out people who took part in another study of one within a recent period, commonly 30 days or five half-lives.

05

Study design

Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Prospective
Enrollment
30 participants (actual)
Patient registry
No
Biospecimen retention
Samples without dna

Interventions

  • OtherNuclear magnetic resonance analysis of embryo culture medium

    Analysis of culture medium from euploid and aneuploid embryos by magnetic nuclear resonance.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Comparison of the metabolites present in the culture medium of euploid versus aneuploid embryos.

    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.

    Time frame: 6 months

07

Study locations

1 site
  • Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade
    Lisbon, Portugal
08

References and documents

Study documents

PDFs hosted by the registry, ClinicalTrials.gov.

Individual participant data

Plan to share: No

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reached

Ran from Apr 2021 to primary completion in Jun 2023, 26 months.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Apr 19, 2021
First posted
Aug 4, 2022
StartActual
Apr 7, 2021
Primary completionActual
Jun 7, 2023
CompletionActual
Jun 7, 2023
Last update
Apr 13, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Apr 13, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT05488236
Lead sponsor
Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa
Collaborators
Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Aug 4, 2022
Start date
Apr 7, 2021
Primary completion
Jun 7, 2023
Completion
Jun 7, 2023
Last update
Apr 13, 2026

Study contacts

Sofia Nunes, PhD
principal investigator · Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidade de Lisboa

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is completed, as verified in May 2025. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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