Does Embryo Biopsy and Testing Improve IVF Results?

This question is often asked by our patients on the donor Eggs Australia Programme.

The testing is usually performed on day 5 embryos/blastocysts and a biopsy is taken, avoiding the area that will develop into a foetus. The test is referred to as PGT-A (Preimplantation Genetic Testing – Aneuploidy) and aims to check that the embryo has the correct number of chromosomes.

Current publications *,** including the advice from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine suggests it offers no benefit and should not be done for women under 40 years of age, this being the egg donor’s age and not the recipient’s age.

Also the risk of young donor eggs leading to common age related abnormalities is far less common and this can be tested for by NIPT (Non Invasive Prenatal Testing) which is usually undertaken on the patient’s blood once she is pregnant

Finally do not confuse PGT-A with PGT-M (preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic problems i.e. specific genetic diseases which may affect an individual)

* Fertility Sterility June 2022, article in press , RB Mejia et al.

** Cornelisse S, Zagers M, Kostova E, Fleischer K, van Wely M, Mastenbroek S. Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (abnormal number of chromosomes) in in vitro fertilisation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2020;9: CD005291.