I often get asked if pre-genetic screening is worth it and will it help increase the success rates of IVF treatment. On paper, it seems logical; you test the embryo and put the best quality one back in, which should lead to a successful pregnancy. More and more IVF clinics are now pushing their patients to get these tests done, often known as PGS or PGT.
These tests are expensive and in the UK, IVF clinics will not transfer abnormal embryos, which can lead many people from having half a dozen embryos to having just one or two or none at all. This can lead to frustration and stress. In other countries, such as the US, they will still transfer an abnormal embryo.
New research from the US has shown that transferring abnormal embryos is just as successful as transferring an embryo that has been tested. In a small case study of 32 people, it was shown that abnormal embryos can go onto repair themselves and move the abnormal cells to what will be the placenta leading to a healthy baby,
This means that thousands of embryos are being discarded each year that could otherwise go onto be healthy babies. IVF clinics should now review their procedure and stop offering this pre-genetic screening to their patients unless they have a known inherited disorder.