Benefits of PGS/PGD Genetic Testing

Navigating the world of in vitro fertilization (IVF) can feel overwhelming, especially if you’ve spent years trying to become pregnant. Fortunately, our expert team of fertility specialists can guide you through the process and recommend your best options for success.

As a top fertility center in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, our experienced and compassionate IVFMD team believes in making cutting-edge fertility technologies accessible to as many families as possible, while easing the financial strain at the same time.

Here are a few benefits that PGS/PGD genetic testing can offer when you’re undergoing IVF.

Genetic testing basics

Before looking at the benefits of PGS/PGD, it helps to have a better understanding of what they entail.

PGS

PGS stands for preimplantation genetic screening. This testing involves checking an embryo for genetic conditions associated with abnormal chromosome numbers. Your chromosomes contain your genetic information. An abnormal number of chromosomes is known as aneuploidy.

PGD

A preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or PGD, checks an embryo for specific genetic conditions, like sickle-cell disease or cystic fibrosis.

Advancements in preimplantation genetic testing allow our team to screen embryos at day five or later, increasing the viability of the embryo and providing 98% accuracy in detecting aneuploidy.

The benefits of PGS and PGD genetic testing

Screening embryos for genetic testing has occurred successfully since 1989. While often hotly debated, it can offer numerous benefits.

Fewer pregnancy losses

Pregnancy requires a healthy embryo. Unfortunately, if two parents pass abnormal chromosomes onto an embryo, it won’t survive.

In the past, IVF tried to increase pregnancy rates by implanting multiple embryos so that you would have more chances of success. However, that also leads to failed implantation and miscarriage, or multiple births, which are also risky.

By identifying the healthiest embryos before implantation, you have a higher likelihood of pregnancy, more single embryo transfers, and lower probabilities of miscarriage. It can also reduce or eliminate more invasive genetic testing during pregnancy

Quicker success rates

Identifying your healthiest embryos at the beginning can also help you avoid unsuccessful transfers, resulting in a successful pregnancy — faster.

Quicker success rates with IVF offer numerous benefits. Two of the most obvious involve reducing the physical and emotional toll that IVF and infertility can take. However, having a better understanding of the viability of your embryos early on can also help with the financial burden.

While we understand that preimplantation genetic testing is an additional expense, it can provide a long-term payoff. That’s because it helps identify which embryos are viable for storing and which are worth implantation through IVF.

Less uncertainty

Undergoing PGS/PGD can also significantly reduce the uncertainty both before and after embryo transfer.

Even if you receive heartbreaking news of genetically flawed embryos, that information can help you avoid the emotional stress of pregnancy loss or miscarriage in the future. Plus, our team can use the information to help determine the best course of action to get you back on track toward achieving a successful pregnancy.

Ready to learn more about the benefits of PGS/PGD genetic testing? Book a consultation at any of our three Texas offices with one of our experienced fertility specialists. Contact us by phone or through our online booking tool today.