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genetic testing of the embryo (PGD)In the procedures of assisted reproductive technology such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), an embryo is created in a laboratory environment and is then transferred into the woman’s uterus (womb). For some couples, especially those who run the risk of an inherited disease, questions about the genetic health of those embryos may arise. A new technique called Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis, or PGD, can provide some answers to this. what is pre-implantation genetic diagnosis?In PGD, embryos obtained via an IVF procedure are tested for hereditary defects before being transferred. Fertilisation is brought about and subsequently one or two cells from the 8-cell embryo (approximately 3 days old), are removed using a small pipette. The genetic material of these cells is examined with results available in one day. After the diagnosis, only the unaffected embryos are transferred. PGD is an extremely advanced procedure that is currently not commercially available in Singapore. |
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