Future of Genetically Healthy Babies
Dr. Gautam Allahbadia, an IVF specialist explains the advantages of PGT-A for IVF patients
Chromosomes are DNA and protein structures that contain information about our genetics. An ideal human embryo has 23 pairs of chromosomes; 22 pairs of autosomes and one pair of sex chromosomes. However, abnormalities that occur in the early stage of sperm or egg’s development may lead to a variation in the count of chromosomes in the embryo. These abnormalities in chromosomes are termed as aneuploidies.
Chromosomal abnormalities can affect women of all ages and are responsible for leading to embryo death, early miscarriages or live birth of an infant with substantial medical problems.
What is PGT-A ?
Dr Gautam Allahbadia mentions that the Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy is a test conducted to determine the genetic anomalies that could be caused by screening the 23 pairs of chromosomes to ensure a healthy embryo screened of all genetic abnormalities.
• Chromosome errors (aneuploidy) in human embryos are a major cause of IVF failure, miscarriage, obstetric complications, stillbirth, infertility, and can lead to the birth of affected children.
• Accurate technology for detecting chromosomally-normal (euploid) embryos is now available.
• Only technologies such as array CGH, qPCR, NGS that detect ALL chromosomes with high accuracy should be applied for use in PGT.
- Such technologies should not be considered “experimental” and, where possible, should be made available for routine practice.
PGT-A is done to enhance In Vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. The purpose of PGT-A is to increase the chance of becoming pregnant and lower the chance of miscarriage.
The alternative to using PGT-A is to transfer embryos one by one, and studies have shown this can result in up to 50% patient drop out following a miscarriage.
• PGT-A can reduce the time to a live birth by selecting only euploid embryos.
• PGT-A can reduce the incidence of miscarriage.
• Transfer of single euploid embryos gives the maximum chance of a live birth whilst minimizing the risk of a multiple pregnancy.
• We believe it is good medical practice to avoid the transfer of aneuploid embryos.
- Some patients may have no euploid embryos and therefore no transfers — but many patients prefer to know this at that stage and prepare for a further cycle, or move on rather than wait for failure or possible miscarriage, or the birth of an affected child
