In the context of assisted reproduction, the type of screening known as preimplantation genetic screening is just one of a number of genetic screening techniques that have been developed, particularly in conjunction with those of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).<\/strong><\/p>\n
In this article we aim to answer the question of what is embryo screening<\/a> in order to help you decide whether it is right for you.<\/p>\n
Embryo screening is a procedure carried out to test whether embryos have any problems with their chromosomes.<\/strong> It is fairly common for abnormal chromosomes to occur very frequently even during normal production of eggs, sperm and during embryo development. In the normal course of events, genetic abnormalities of this nature generally result in an early miscarriage or a failure of the fertilized egg to implant in the womb. The purpose of pre-IVF screening tests is to check for abnormalities before implantation takes place.<\/strong> This minimises the risk of a miscarriage and maximising the likelihood of a successful pregnancy.<\/p>\n
Embryo screening\u00a0is often recommended for naturally occurring pregnancies in women who are over the age of 37<\/strong>, have a family history of chromosome problems, or have had multiple miscarriages. Various methods including the chorionic villus sampling test and the amniocentesis test can be used to test for hundreds of genetic conditions. In this article, however, we are going to focus on the use of\u00a0embryo screening<\/strong>\u00a0during the course of assisted reproduction.<\/p>\n
At IVI we use embryo screening as part of the IVF Genetic (IVI plus PGT-A) process.<\/strong> After egg retrieval has taken place and the ovocytes have been combined with the sperm to allow fertilisation to take place, embryos are cultured in the laboratory for a number of days. After selecting the most viable embryos based on observation of their morphology,\u00a0preimplantation genetic screening\u00a0(PGT) is carried out in order to select the healthiest<\/strong>. The healthiest embryo is then transferred into the uterus using a catheter specially designed for the procedure. This is a simple, painless process after which the patient is able to return home just a few minutes later.<\/p>\n
Embryo testing and treatments are designed to help people who have serious inherited diseases in their family and want to avoid passing the condition on to any children they might have. If you or a family member have a serious genetic condition, you may wish to have your embryos screened during IVF in order to ensure that only healthy embryos are implanted in the womb.<\/p>\n
The most frequent use of these genetic screening techniques is for women who have had multiple miscarriages or failed IVF cycles<\/strong> and who would like to test the embryos for any problems that could potentially lead to another failed treatment. PGS is also recommended for cases in which there are abnormalities in spermatozoa meiosis. Also for women whose age makes them more prone to reproductive genetic problems<\/strong>. PGD is particularly recommended for patients over the age of 40 who intend to use their own eggs instead of donor eggs.<\/p>\n
Women considering IVF will naturally need to consider whether embryo screening is the right course for them to take. If you are having any doubts about whether embryo screening is right for you, we invite you to make an appointment for a consultation at one of our clinics<\/a>.<\/p>\n
At IVI, we offer various types of embryo screening, tailored to different cases and needs.<\/p>\n
This test allows the detection of extra or missing chromosomes, numerical abnormalities also known as aneuploidies<\/strong>. Some of the most common include trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18, trisomy 13, 45X (Turner syndrome), 47XXY (Klinefelter syndrome), 47XYY, and 47XXX.<\/p>\n
This test detects alterations or mutations in a single gene in embryos<\/strong>, which can lead to a monogenic disorder.<\/p>\n
This test identifies embryos with abnormally structured chromosomes<\/strong>, which can result from the breakage or incorrect joining of chromosome segments. There are various types of these abnormalities: translocations, deletions, duplications, insertions, rings, or inversions, which can be balanced or unbalanced<\/strong>. Various chromosomal structural rearrangements can lead to disease.<\/p>\n
There are two types of screening that can be carried out as part of the IVF process.\u00a0Preimplantation genetic test for aneuploidies\u00a0(PGT-A) screens for any chromosomal abnormalities<\/strong> that may be present. Other preimplantation genetic tests (PGT)<\/a>\u00a0checks for specific conditions such as Down\u2019s syndrome, Huntington\u2019s disease and muscular dystrophy, among others.<\/p>\n
In the case of PGT<\/a>, genetic characterisation tests are carried out on patients who are potential carriers of an abnormality, in the preliminary phases of the process. These tests help medical experts gather as much information as possible before proceeding with the PGT.<\/strong><\/p>\n
You can\u00a0check out our website<\/a>\u00a0to learn more details about these tests, and to familiarise yourself with other potential\u00a0benefits of preimplantation genetic screening for IVF.<\/p>\n
What are the pros and cons of embryo screening? Preimplantation genetic screening\u00a0at IVI results in higher success rates.<\/strong> Selection of the best embryos through PGS improves the chances of implantation, increasing the rate of resulting pregnancy to 70%<\/strong>. The screening also leads to a shorter waiting period between the moment you begin the process and when you achieve a successful pregnancy. The higher success rate often means avoiding more than one cycle of treatment. Because only healthy embryos are transferred, there is also a lower risk of miscarriage<\/strong> and increased likelihood of having a healthy baby.<\/p>\n
Your medical assessor there will answer any questions you may have. He will also explain anything you would like to know about why this treatment may be recommended to help you fulfil your dream of starting a family. During the course of your first visit to IVI, you can expect a consultation consisting of assessment and diagnosis, followed by a discussion of the treatment recommended to be carried out.<\/strong> If this involves embryo screening as part of the IVF procedure, your consultant will talk you through the steps involved and answer your questions.<\/p>\n
If at any time you find you have additional questions that you didn\u2019t think of or weren\u2019t able to ask during the consultation, feel free to give us a call and the professionals from the centre will be at your disposal to clarify things for you.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In the context of assisted reproduction, the type of screening known as preimplantation genetic screening is just one of a number of genetic screening techniques that have been developed, particularly in conjunction with those of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In this article we aim to answer the question of what… View Article<\/a>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":110358,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,17],"tags":[67,66,218,64,167],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n