Highlights from ESHRE’s 41st Annual Meeting (2025)

This post provides a short summary of select studies presented during the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) 2025 meeting in Paris. These studies may not have been published or peer reviewed yet.

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Press releases from ESHRE 2025

These press releases are from Focus on Reproduction, ESHRE’s news site.

Endometriosis-Linked Infertility Tied to Higher Pregnancy Rates. A 30-year study of over 4 million women in England found that women with endometriosis-associated infertility were four times more likely to conceive than those with infertility from other causes, such as tubal factors or unexplained infertility. Lead author Lucky Saraswat explained that fertility outcomes in endometriosis may vary based on disease severity, with milder cases retaining good reproductive potential, particularly when diagnosed early or treated with laparoscopic surgery. Read the full release from ESHRE.

Microplastics Found in Human Reproductive Fluids. In 51 patients, microplastics were detected in 69% of women’s follicular fluid and 55% of men’s seminal fluid, providing direct evidence of plastic contamination in key reproductive fluids. While the health impacts are still unclear, researchers urge further investigation into potential effects on fertility and recommend simple lifestyle changes, like using glass containers, to reduce exposure. Read the full release from ESHRE.

960,000 ART Cycles Reported in Europe in 2022. Europe saw 960,347 ART cycles in 2022, a 15.6% drop from 2021, but clinical pregnancy rates remained steady, with IVF success per embryo transfer at 32.7%, ICSI at 32.5%, and frozen embryo transfer at 36.6%. Single embryo transfers increased from 60.5% to 62.6%, contributing to a higher singleton birth rate (91.5%) and fewer twin births (8.4%), despite the overall dip in treatment volume. Read the full release from ESHRE.

Early Epigenetic Clues May Explain PCOS Inheritance. New research found that embryos from women with PCOS carry distinctive epigenetic signatures, many of which involved H3K27me3, that are already present in the oocyte and may explain why PCOS often runs in families. Treating embryos in the lab with histone-modifying drugs partially corrected these patterns, raising the possibility of future strategies that might help treat or prevent PCOS. Read the full release from ESHRE.

PCOS Miscarriage Risk Tied to Isoleucine and Gut Bacteria. Researchers found that women with PCOS have altered gut microbiota and elevated levels of the amino acid isoleucine, which were associated with premature endometrial ageing and nearly double the risk of miscarriage or other adverse pregnancy outcomes. Researchers suggest these microbial and metabolic markers could serve as early indicators for high-risk patients and may be targeted through diet or probiotics to improve outcomes. Read the full release from ESHRE.

Advanced Paternal Age Linked to IVF Miscarriage Risk. A study showed that IVF cycles using young donor eggs had significantly higher miscarriage rates and lower live birth rates when the male partner was over 45. Despite similar embryo development, men over 45 saw a 23.8% miscarriage rate and only 35.1% live birth rate, compared to 16.3% and 41% in younger men, highlighting paternal age as an independent factor in IVF success. “Our findings underscore the need for fertility clinics to adopt a more balanced approach that recognises the role of paternal age, even in donor egg cycles where maternal factors are controlled,” said lead author Maria Cristina Guglielmo. Read the full release from ESHRE.

Early Blood Test Predicts Preeclampsia Risk with High Accuracy. A new study showed that a simple blood test taken in the first trimester can accurately predict the risk of preeclampsia months before symptoms appear. Using cell-free RNA from maternal plasma, researchers identified distinct molecular signatures for early- and late-onset preeclampsia, with up to 83% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Read the full release from ESHRE.

Selected abstracts for oral presentation from ESHRE 2025

Here’s a collection of abstract summaries from the meeting, along with links to the full abstract so you can read more about it. There were over 700 oral presentations and posters at ESHRE 2025, and these are the ones that seem particularly interesting. You can access the full list here.

🔓 Free members see the top 10 summaries. Paid members see all 30. Subscribe here.

1. This keynote review highlights that human ovarian aging begins early and is driven by oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction, pointing to potential therapeutic strategies focused on metabolic support. Read more (abstract only)
2. A prospective study that performed full embryo PGT-A on 53 previously discarded blastocysts found that 19% of blastocysts originally classified as whole-chromosome by PGT-A and 50% of segmental aneuploids were discordant (didn’t match the original biopsy). Read more (abstract only)
3. A French multicenter randomized controlled trial found that hydroxychloroquine given before conception and through early pregnancy did not improve live birth rates in women with a history of recurrent miscarriage. Read more (abstract only)
4. A randomized controlled trial found that combining hyaluronic acid (embryo glue) and prolactin in the post-warming incubation and transfer medium significantly improved live birth rates and reduced early pregnancy loss following single vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers, especially in younger patients with good-quality embryos. Read more (abstract only)
5. A nationwide observational cohort study of over 750,000 pregnancies found that periconceptional exposure to GLP-1 receptor agonists was linked to a higher risk of preterm birth, particularly in women with pre-existing diabetes, while no increased risk was seen when used solely for weight management. Read more (abstract only)
6. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 17 studies involving over 7,000 cases found that PGT-A improved implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates in patients with recurrent implantation failure, while adding an endometrial receptivity assay did not offer additional benefit. Read more (abstract only)
7. In this randomized controlled trial, donor supplementation with micronutrients and probiotics improved pregnancy rates with vitrified oocytes but not fertilization or blastocyst rates. Read more (abstract only)
8. A multicenter randomized controlled trial found that the antioxidant supplement Impryl did not improve semen parameters or ongoing pregnancy rates in men undergoing fertility treatment and may be associated with lower success rates in ART. Read more (abstract only)
9. A large multicenter randomized controlled trial found that in ovulatory women undergoing frozen embryo transfer, natural transfers resulted in similar live birth rates but lower risks of miscarriage, hypertensive disorders, and postpartum hemorrhage compared to artificial transfers. Read more (abstract only)
10. A single-center retrospective study in patients with repeated ART failure due to severe embryo fragmentation found that removing the zona pellucida at the pronuclear stage improved blastocyst formation rates and quality, especially in zygotes with strong oolemma–zona adhesion. Read more (abstract only)

🔒 Want to keep reading? I’ve summarized and linked an additional 20 ESHRE abstracts, covering topics like vitamin D, artificial oocyte activation, progesterone levels <10 ng/ml, and embryo culture media contamination. About half are especially relevant for the IVF lab, but most are interesting for patients too.

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About Embryoman

Embryoman (Sean Lauber) is a former embryologist and the founder of Remembryo, an IVF research and fertility education website. After working in an IVF lab in the US, he returned to Canada and now focuses on making fertility research more accessible. He holds a Master’s in Immunology and launched Remembryo in 2018 to help patients and professionals make sense of IVF research. Sean shares weekly study updates on Facebook, Instagram, and Reddit regularly. He also answers questions on Reddit or in his private Facebook group.

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