Reproductive BioMedicine Online
Volume 20, Issue 5 , Pages 660-663, May 2010

Skewed X inactivation and IVF-conceived infants

  • Jennifer L. King

      Affiliations

    • University of Virginia, Charlottsville, VA 22908, USA
    • ,
  • Baoli Yang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
    • ,
  • Amy E.T. Sparks

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
    • ,
  • Lindsay M. Mains

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
    • ,
  • Jeffrey C. Murray

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
    • ,
  • Bradley J. Van Voorhis

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Iowa, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author.

Received 31 August 2009; received in revised form 18 September 2009; accepted 17 December 2009. published online 08 March 2010.

Declaration: The authors report no financial or commercial conflicts of interest.

Abstract 

The objective of this study was to investigate whether skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is associated with IVF. A retrospective cohort study was performed comprising 30 female infants conceived by IVF and 44 naturally conceived control infants matched for gestational age and sex. Cord blood DNA samples were obtained and XCI patterns were analysed using a methylation-sensitive assay. Eight IVF samples and 13 control samples were excluded from the study because they were either homozygous or alleles were too similar for the assay to determine skewing. Mildly skewed XCI (80–90% inactivation of one allele) was present in two of 22 (9.1%) IVF samples and two of 31 (6.5%) control samples. Extremely skewed XCI (>90% inactivation of one allele) was found in two of 22 (9.1%) IVF samples and none of 31 control samples. Neither difference was statistically significant. However, the mean degree of skewed XCI in the IVF group was 72.0% and in the control group was 62.4% (P=0.002). Larger studies are needed to clarify the relationship between IVF and skewed XCI.

Keywords: embryos, ICSI, infertility, IVF, X chromosome inactivation

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 Brad Van Voorhis, MD is the Division Director of the IVF Program at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. He is a Professor in the Department and his research interests have included cost-effective infertility treatment, outcomes from IVF and single embryo transfer.

PII: S1472-6483(10)00047-7

doi:10.1016/j.rbmo.2010.01.011

Reproductive BioMedicine Online
Volume 20, Issue 5 , Pages 660-663, May 2010

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