Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis/Screening is a reproductive technology used with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) for screening and diagnosis of genetic diseases in early embryo prior to implantation and pregnancy. The most common type of PGD involves testing of embryos for a panel of common chromosomal abnormalities and using only normal healthy embryos to attempt a pregnancy..

- WHAT IS PGD/PGS?

Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis/Screening was developed to prevent transfer of serious genetic disorders and to establish gender. It is a two stage process consisting of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and genetic screening.

- WHO NEEDS PGD/PGS?

PGD can significantly reduce the chances for your baby to be affected with a specific genetic condition or chromosomal abnormality. We will be able to test for many different common genetic diseases in the near future.

- STEP BY STEP PGD

• Preliminary checkup of husband & wife
•  Baseline Hormone Profile of wife
• Drug treatment (injections) to encourage egg production & maturation
• Ultra sound monitoring (TVS)
  • Monitor growth of follicles
  • Adjust drug doses
  • Prevent serious side effects i.e. Ovarian Hyper Stimulation Syndrome (OHSS)
• Monitoring is carried out by:
  • Transvaginal ultrasound scanning (TVS)
  • Measuring hormone level in blood
• Egg Pick Up
• Semen collection and processing
• ICSI: A single spermatozoon is injected into the egg under special (ICSI) microscope with micro-manipulator
• PGD: Blastomere aspiration carried out at 6-8 cell stage of embryos (day 3 post fertilization)
• Genetic screening of blastomeres performed through FISH technique
• Transfer/Implantation of healthy embryos

- STEP BY STEP PGS

We use the most advanced technology, NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) to perform the PGS test:

• Ability to detect aneuploidies, mosaicism and segmental alterations
• Rapid technology allowing embryos to be transferred in frozen cycles
• New diagnostic possibilities including the measurement of mitochondrial DNA copy number (Mito-Score)
• Our technology and experience allows to analyse 24 chromosomes.

- INDICATIONS

• Advanced maternal age :35 or above
• Recurrent miscarriages :2 or more miscarriage of unknown cause
• Assisted reproductive cycles without pregnancy: 2 or more assisted reproductive cycles without pregnancy
• Male factor: male with low sperm concentration, below 5 million per ml
• Previous pregnancies with anomalies : 1 previous pregnancy with chromosome abnormality especially in an assisted reproduction cycle.

- WHAT ARE THE CHANCES OF SUCCESS?

Chances of conception (getting pregnant) are similar to IVF (30%-40%)

- HOW MANY ATTEMPTS OF PGD/PGS CAN BE MADE?

From a medical point of view there is no limit on the number of attempts but one has to consider emotional and financial stress involved in this treatment.

- WGS (Whole Genome Sequening and IVF ) 

Whole genome Sequencing is a diagnostic tool used to identify the mutated gene(s) that cause genetic diseases in a family. The procedure is performed with the help of blood test. Mostly, after identifying the cause of genetic disease, the couples can opt for the Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) for Single Gene Disorders or can take the attempt to increase the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy (as in PGS for aneuploidy),  It is in fact, a genetic test that facilitates embryos of the individual to be screened for the genetic disease that affects her family, before going for pregnancy.