Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency and spectrum of chromosomal abnormalities in abortions in early pregnancy failure
Background: The adverse effects of COVID-19 have affected the condition of various human organs and systems, including the reproductive system; in this regard, the assessment of the negative effects of COVID-19 on reproduction has become the subject of scientific research. The aim of the study:Toinvestigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the genetic processes of early human embryonic development. Materials and methods: Fluorescence in situ hybridisation with centromeric and locus-specific probes for chromosomes X, Y, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 21, 22 was performed on interphase cells from 1408 abortions in early pregnancy failure. The frequency and spectrum of chromosomal abnormalities in samples obtained before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the pandemic period were determined. Results: The frequency of abortus with chromosomal abnormalities during the pandemic corresponds to pre-pandemic values. Changes in the number of abortuses with different types of chromosomal abnormalities were observed, but these changes did not reach statistically significant levels before or during the pandemic for most of the abnormalities studied. However, a statistically significant increase in the frequency of abortuses with trisomy of chromosome 22 was found during this period of the pandemic. The analysis showed that there was an increase in the number of patients over 36 years of age. This was the reason for the increase in the number of embryos with this type of pathology. The results obtained suggest a change in the reproductive intentions of different age groups in the population. This has led to an increase in patients over the age of 36 and an increase in the frequency of chromosomally abnormal embryos. During the pandemic, a shift in the sex ratio of embryos was also detected: the number of female abortuses increased, as did the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities in this sex. Conclusion: COVID-19 and the pandemic of COVID-19 did not increase the total frequency of chromosomal abnormalities during early human embryogenesis but results demonstrate changes in the spectrum of detectable genetic pathology due to the age of the patients. Further research in this area is needed to better understand the impact of both the virus and the social manifestations of the COVID-19 pandemic on genetic processes that may lead to an increased mutation burden in human populations
Neronova EG, Li VA. Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the frequency and spectrum of chromosomal abnormalities in abortions in early pregnancy failure. Research Results in Biomedicine. 2025;11(3):416-431. Russian. DOI: 10.18413/2658-6533-2025-11-3-0-2
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