Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)

PGD allows our doctors to prevent our couples from passing on genetic conditions to their children.

DR. JASON GRIFFITH: Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis is an exciting advancement in the field of in-vitro fertilization. It’s a good answer for couples that may carry a gene that could cause a disease that may be at high risk for transferring this to their offspring. Some examples include sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis, but there are many others. What this basically entails is undergoing in-vitro fertilization and then on the third day the embryo is biopsied to test for that specific genetic trait. So we can put back embryos that are not affected, significantly reducing the risk of having a child with this affected gene. Now, the technology is not perfect and where it really falls short at the present is with patients where there are current pregnancy loss or women with advanced age wanting to implant genetically normal embryos. If this is an appropriate option for a couple, we proceed with careful counseling and caution.