Washington: A team of researchers has discovered how an 'entrance exam' set by the womb determines if the implantation of an embryo is successful; potentially a milestone for advances in successful pregnancy treatments.
The new study, led by Warwick Medical School and University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, sheds light on how the lining of the womb analyses individual embryos and thus decides whether or not to support further development.
Before implantation, human embryos are genetically very diverse. Some embryos will contain no normal cells at all while others contain a mixture of normal and abnormal cells. Hence, no two human embryos are the same at this early stage of development.
The study shows that high quality human embryos secrete a chemical, trypsin, which renders the lining of the womb supportive of implantation. This chemical signal is deregulated in low quality embryos and causes an alarm response in the womb, which leads to either rescue or elimination of the embryo.
Professor Jan Brosens explained, "This is important, because if the lining of the womb is not well prepared for pregnancy you may find that abnormal embryos will implant or high quality embryos will not be supported. Both scenarios can lead to pregnancy loss or even late pregnancy complications, such as foetal growth restriction or preterm birth."
"Speaking in terms of an entrance exam; a poorly prepared womb will either make the test too rigorous or too lax - decreasing the chances of a successful pregnancy."
The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports.
