Pre-Implantation genetics testing offers new hope to pregnancy-challenged couples

November 1, 4:15 PMPregnancy ExaminerCindy Ferda

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For couples who have experienced recurrent miscarriages, unsuccessful IVF cycles or unexplained infertility; as well as women of advanced maternal age; new procedures are available in the form of a genetic diagnosis program designed to help achieve a successful pregnancy.

The Center for Preimplantation Genetics Diagnosis offers a high-tech procedure that selects healthy embryos that are free of chromosomal abnormalities and defects; thus raising the chances of conception and delivery of a healthy baby.

This state of the art procedure is done in lab along with an IVF treatment. After medication is given to the female to stimulate egg production an ultrasound guided needle is used to retrieve eggs from the ovaries. United with sperm, they are placed in an incubator for fertilization and growth to the 4-12 cell stage. One or two cells from each embryo will be biopsied and genetic testing begins.

The center then tests for chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome, Turner syndrome and/or Klinefelter syndrome. Testing is also done for single gene inherited defects like cystic fibrosis and/or sickle cell disease.

At this point only embryos free of defects and/or abnormalities would be transferred to the mother’s uterus between day 4 and 5 following egg retrieval.

According to The Center for Preimplantation Genetics Diagnosis,

“PGD technology reduces the potential for adverse pregnancy outcomes for couples ‘at risk’ by testing the embryos for certain genetic abnormalities before they are chosen for transfer back to the woman. For example: 10 embryos resulted from an IVF cycle and through PGD testing, six were identified as genetically abnormal and four were normal. Armed with this knowledge, only the normal embryos would be selected for embryo transfer thereby reducing the possibility of miscarriage or birth defects”. 

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