On Oct 16, CITIC Xiangya Reproductive and Genetic Specialty Hospital President Lin Ge and Researcher Zheng Wei and their team published a joint study in Nature Medicine that reveals the genetic origins of recurrent in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure caused by oocyte and early embryo defects (OCED).

Infertility affects numerous couples worldwide, and recurrent treatment failure remains a major challenge in clinical practice due to the lack of definitive diagnosis and personalized management. 

The latest study features the following key advances:

Establishes a Clear Classification System: The study is the first to categorize the causes of IVF failure into six distinct subtypes.

Creates genetic profiles: It identifies the genetic causes for each of the subtypes.

Has defined diagnostic rates: Under the new classification system, the overall diagnostic rate rose to 11.1%. Notably, for the Empty Follicle subtype and Complete Fertilization Failure subtype, the diagnostic rate exceeds 39.4%.

Has discovered Novel Diagnostic Biomarkers: The research identifies 11 new molecules with diagnostic potential and several key signaling pathways, which offers insights for future precise diagnosis development. 

CITIC Reproductive and Genetic Specialty Hospital is committed to uncovering the genetic causes of recurrent assisted reproduction failure. Through collaborative research, the institution has contributed to the discovery of over 20 novel disease-causing genes, including BTG4, MOS, and GMNN, which have helped reveal the origins of developmental impairments from fertilization defects and cleavage failure in human embryos to early embryonic arrest.

The latest findings in Nature Medicine represent a critical step forward in CITIC Xiangya's pursuit of precise reproductive medicine and bring new hope to aspiring parents.

For more info:

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04001-1