Everleap Fertility, a U.S. leader in fertility care formerly known as IVI RMA North America, part of IVI Institute, the global leader in reproductive medicine, announced that its research examining obesity’s impact on embryonic aneuploidy in IVF patients won the 2026 Nurses Professional Group Prize Paper Award at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) 2026 Annual Scientific Congress & Expo. Presented annually at ASRM, the award recognizes outstanding research conducted by nurses.

The study, “Age Carries the Weight: Obesity Does Not Drive Embryonic Aneuploidy in In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy (PGT-A),” was conducted by Christine Whitehead, Director of Research Operations at Everleap Fertility in collaboration with Kristin Lefebvre, and Emre Seli. This multicenter retrospective cohort study examined 12,377 patients and 62,884 biopsied blastocysts and found that obesity was not associated with an increased rate of embryonic whole chromosome aneuploidy in embryos following IVF. Patients with obesity had an aneuploidy rate of 32.2% and patients without obesity had a rate of 32.1%. Oocyte age remained the primary predictor of embryonic whole chromosome aneuploidy. Importantly, this study also found that patients with obesity were not at an increased risk of having no euploid embryos available after their first IVF cycle with PGT-A. These findings provide insight into the relationship between obesity and embryonic chromosomal status and may help to inform more individualized fertility counseling.

“I am honored to receive this recognition from ASRM,” said Whitehead, lead author of the award-winning paper. “Questions surrounding obesity and fertility are complex, and patients deserve counseling grounded in evidence. What makes this research particularly meaningful is that it draws on patients treated within our own network, providing the opportunity to bring what we learn back into the very practices where these questions arise and ultimately support patient decision-making.”

This study was one of 19 studies presented at this year’s ASRM conference by Everleap Fertility with the support of the IVI Institute. Across its 10 global research centers, the IVI Institute Research Alliance focuses on translating scientific knowledge into effective treatments that can make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients experiencing infertility. Published research, laboratory advances, and technological innovation are closely connected to clinical practice, helping ensure that every discovery contributes to patient care and to the continued progress of reproductive medicine.

“This recognition underscores the strength of Everleap Fertility’s research efforts and our commitment to advancing the science of reproductive medicine,” said Dr. Thomas Molinaro, Chief Medical Officer at Everleap Fertility. “We are grateful to ASRM and the Nurses Professional Group for this honor and are proud of Christine and the team whose collaboration made this work possible. By answering important clinical questions, we can continue to improve care and expand knowledge for patients pursuing fertility treatment.”

About Everleap Fertility

Built on the legacy of RMA, Boston IVF, Conceptions, and six other leading North American fertility practices, Everleap Fertility brings together physicians and embryologists across 65+ locations in the U.S., including 25 IVF laboratories focused on the next leap forward in reproductive medicine. Together, we have helped hundreds of thousands of patients build families for more than 40 years. As part of IVI Institute, Everleap Fertility contributes to a global community working together to advance the field and bring progress in reproductive medicine into patient care. For more information, visit everleapfertility.com.

About IVI Institute

IVI Institute is the global leader in reproductive medicine, bringing together world-class fertility clinics and expertise to advance the future of fertility care around the world. With 100+ babies born every day across more than 200 locations in 15 countries – including IVI Fertility, Everleap Fertility, LIVIO, Create Fertility, and TRIO clinics, among other brands – IVI Institute accelerates innovation, expands knowledge, and improves outcomes for patients around the world through groundbreaking research, collaboration, and rigorous clinical standards. Learn more at www.iviinstitute.com.

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