Pros and Cons of Genetic Testing on Embryos for IVF

 Should genetic screening become a standard part of IVF? Who should consider this option and for what reasons? Host Dawn Davenport interviewed Dr. Jessica Mann, a Board Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist with Reproductive Science Center of New Jersey.

Hit the Highlights
  • What exactly is genetic testing?
  • What is the difference between PGD (pre-implantation genetic diagnosis) and PGS (pre-implantation genetic screening)?
  • At what stage of embryonic development should the genetic testing be performed?
  • What is a Polar body biopsy?
  • What are the pros and cons of genetic testing through the polar bodies?
  • What is a trophectoderm biopsy?
  • What are the pros and cons of Day 3 genetic testing with in vitro fertilization?
  • What are the pros and cons of Day 5 embryonic genetic testing?
  • How does PGS or PGS at the blastocyst stage or embryo development change the timing of transfer?
  • Is it possible or advisable to do a fresh IVF transfer when doing genetic testing at the blastocyst stage?
  • What risks does PGS or genetic screening pose to the embryo? What does research show?
  • Has there been any follow-up research on children born after genetic testing to see if there may be longer-term risks?
  • What is chromosomal mosaicism?
  • What are the risks of finding chromosomal mosaicism in day 5 biopsy for genetic screening?
  • What are the risks of finding chromosomal mosaicism in day 3 biopsy for genetic screening?
  • Has genetic screening become the standard for IVF now?
  • Who should consider genetic screening?
  • What are some common genetic disease that we can test for?
  • Is PGS recommended for women over the age of 35 or 38?
  • Has the research shown that PGS improves pregnancy rates in older women?
  • How many failed IVF attempts should a woman have had before she should consider genetic screening?
  • How many miscarriages should a woman have had before she should consider genetic screening/ PGS?
  • Is embryonic genetic screening effective at preventing miscarriages?
  • Finding out information that you don’t know what to do with?
  • Do you need to do amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling if you have genetic screening done on your embryos?
  • How much does genetic screening add to the overall cost of IVF?

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Image Credit: marcus_and_sue