The Reference PGD Laboratory

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Why PGD?

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Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a set of techniques specifically developed to test the genetic background of preimplantation human embryos. In order for PGD to be performed, human embryos must be available for analysis prior to the implantation. Therefore, only parents undergoing IVF procedure can benefit from this technology.

Four major reasons for PGD

For the first three groups, PGD provides the only alternative to recurrent miscarriages and abortions. It is only for the last group of patients, that the reasons for going through PGD are not so obvious. These are the patients of advanced maternal age (AMA, women over the age of 36), patients with recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL), and patients with failed IVF cycles. These patients have no known genetic disorders, but they wish to improve their chance for a successful IVF cycle. Currently the majority of PGD cases are performed for this group of patients.

Why do genetically normal parents select PGD?

Genetically normal parents produce genetically abnormal embryos in great numbers, and the evidence for this is disturbingly abundant:

During an IVF cycle, when so much hope, efforts, and financial investments go into a single attempt, selection should be at the level of individual embryos, not failed pregnancies! By identifying aneuploid embryos, PGD insures that only those embryos which have a chance to establish a normal pregnancy are transferred.