Frequently Asked Questions

Does taking cells harm the embryo?
Removing one or more cells from an early embryo does not prevent the embryo from growing into a complete pregnancy. Each of the cells in the early embryo is capable of complete development. Indeed, identical twins develop from a single embryo that splits in half. Also, frozen-thawed embryos frequently have cells damaged during the thawing process without removing their ability to form a healthy baby. Finally, many thousands of babies have been born following the removal of one or two embryonic cells from early embryos. It is clear from these examples that it is possible to remove up to half of the embryonic cells without removing the ability to form a healthy baby.

Why do I need IVF even though I have not been diagnosed with infertility?
The specific genetic disorder you carry will affect the chances that you would have a genetically normal embryo in each menstrual cycle. To improve the odds for you, we need to test multiple embryos. This means that you will need follicle-stimulating medications to encourage your ovaries to grow more than a single healthy egg at a time. The IVF process provides us with access to all of the embryos for testing purposes.

How long does the aneuploidy screening test (PGS) take?
At present, we aim to provide results to the clinic to allow for an embryo transfer on day 4 following egg collection.

How long does the chromosomal translocation testing (PGD-T) test take?
At present, we aim to provide results to the clinic to allow for an embryo transfer on day 4 following egg collection.

How long does the single gene disorder testing (PGD) take?
At present, we aim to provide results to the clinic to allow for an embryo transfer on day 5 following egg collection.

How accurate is PGD?
Genetic analysis of single cells is technically demanding and prone to various errors. Also, the early human embryo has a relatively high incidence of genetically diverse cells which if used for genetic analysis could occasionally result in misdiagnosis. For these reasons, you should be aware that we cannot be 100% accurate with the diagnosis for each embryo. However, reagents and equipment are extensively tested beforehand and we do everything we can to minimise technical errors. Only very few misdiagnoses have been reported and it is difficult to make a reliable estimate of the likely incidence in your specific case. PGD substantially lowers the risk of having a child with an inherited disorder. However, if you do become pregnant after treatment, you should consider having conventional prenatal diagnosis (CVS or amniocentesis) to confirm that your baby is not affected.

How likely am I to get pregnant if I use PGD?
As with any IVF patient, the answer to this question varies dramatically according to factors including your age, the health of your ovaries, any previous pregnancies, and so on. The added complication with PGD is the type of genetic disorder you and/or your partner carry. Some genetic disorders result in fewer 'unaffected' embryos being available for transfer than others.