Should Embryos undergo Genetic Testing before Transfer?

Patients often ask this question and like so many topics in medicine the answer is not straightforward. This type of test is not used to detect genetic diseases!

The specific test in question is PGT-A (Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy).

This test is used to determine whether the embryo (usually a Day 5 Blastocyst) has an abnormal number of paired chromosomes, and is offered by many clinics as a means of selecting the best embryo.

While it seems logical, a newly published *review on the subject throws doubt about the value of PGT-A and the author states:

"However, it is becoming increasingly clear that PGT-A does not shorten the time to establish an ongoing pregnancy compared with the fresh morphologically selected embryo transfers."

When it comes to using donor eggs which come from young donors the current recommendations are not to undertake this form of testing, as not only accuracy is not absolute but there is a risk of damage to the embryo.

* D H Barad F&S Reports Vol 3, issue 4, P294-5, Dec 1, 2022