Dr. Zhang’s Pick of the Month: Who can benefit from PGS?
According to research, the miscarriage rate increases as a woman gets older. Women who are undergoing IVF treatment can benefit from Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS). PGS evaluates an embryo to determine if it has the correct number of chromosomes. Having too many or too few chromosomes is evidence of a genetic defect. This test does not look for specific diseases, rather it aims to identify embryos that have an abnormal number of chromosomes. As a woman ages, the chance of her having embryos with an abnormal number of chromosomes rises.
Who is PGS for?
PGS can make a difference for many people. These following individuals are more likely to benefit from PGS:
- Women over the age of 35
- Women who had 1 or more miscarriages
- Women who had 3 or more unsuccessful IVF cycles before
- Women who had a previous pregnancy with whole chromosome abnormality
- Men who have male factor infertility
- Individuals who would want to know the gender of their child
- Individuals who want to reduce the chance of having twins or multiple births
Although aneuploidy is more common with older women, it can occur to everyone. Women who are undergoing IVF can highly benefit from PGS.
PGS Process
The process begins when you and your fertility doctor decide to use PGS to help improve your chances to have a successful pregnancy.
