Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) in Vancouver, British Columbia

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Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) involves screening embryos for chromosome abnormalities before transferring them to the uterus. This can help reduce the odds of a genetic problem in the baby that might otherwise lead to a miscarriage or a failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. PGT is different from prenatal screening (e.g. NIPT, FTS, TRIO, SIPS) because those tests examine an existing pregnancy, usually after 10 weeks of gestation, while PGT helps to examine embryos before initiating conception and pregnancy.

The Benefits of Choosing PCRM for PGT

At our fertility clinics in Greater Vancouver, BC and Greater Edmonton, AB, you can always expect personalized care, no matter how advanced a treatment option is. Our team is committed to helping all aspiring parents find the approach that’s best for their specific reproductive needs.

Is PGT the Right Treatment for You?

Aspiring parents may choose PGT for a number of reasons:

They wish to screen embryos before transferring them in the hopes of choosing the one with the highest chance of success.
They have undergone standard IVF cycles that have been unsuccessful or resulted in miscarriages.
One partner carries an inherited chromosome rearrangement, such as a translocation or inversion.
They have a child with a genetic condition and would like to reduce the chance of inheritance for their future children.
They have a genetic condition or an increased risk of developing a genetic condition and would like to reduce the chance of inheritance for their future children.

The potential benefit of PGT for your specific needs is determined during the first consultation visit with your fertility specialist. If you would like more information about the benefits and limitations of PGT, you can call PCRM to make an appointment to talk to our genetic counselors.

How PGT Works

PGT starts with the IVF process, where the egg is fertilized with sperm in the embryology lab. Five or six days after fertilization, a biopsy is performed, where a small sample of cells is removed from each embryo, frozen via vitrification, and sent off to a genetics lab, typically Cooper Genomics or Natera, for analysis. The embryos are kept frozen until genetic testing has been completed. The biopsied embryonic cells are tested for chromosomal abnormalities or genetic conditions. PGT results are ready about 1-2 weeks after biopsy.

Types of PGT

The different types of PGT include:

Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A): testing for missing/extra chromosomes that would lead to a non-viable embryo or extra chromosomes that cause genetic differences like Trisomy 21 (i.e., Down Syndrome)
Preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene defects (PGT-M): testing for specific genetic conditions or chromosomal defects (e.g., Huntington’s disease, Muscular Dystrophy, BRCA breast cancer gene, etc.)
Altogether, there are 46 chromosomes (23 pairs) in each human cell. Not too long ago, the standard PGT-A analysis was able to examine only a few chromosomes. Advancing genetic technology now allows scientists to assess the entire set for missing and extra whole chromosomes, as well as large missing and extra pieces of chromosomes (i.e., deletions and duplications).

Evaluating an embryo’s chromosome makeup using PGT-A techniques helps to select the ones that have the correct number of chromosomes. Transferring these embryos may result in higher implantation and pregnancy rates and may help avoid miscarriage.

There are a number of different PGT-A platforms including array CGH (comparative genomic hybridization), SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) array, and NGS (next-generation sequencing). Each technique ultimately performs the same task. All are highly effective, with accuracies of 97-99%.

For the majority of patients undergoing PGT at PCRM, the biopsied cells are sent to Cooper Genomics. Cooper Genomic’s PGT-A method is an NGS platform. The results provide highly accurate information for all 46 chromosomes.

Frequently Asked Questions About PGT

PGT-M and PGT-A are the modern terms, but in the past PGT was referred to as preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), preimplantation genetic screening (PGS), or comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS).

The IVF industry has standardized the terminology now and we use the term PGT.
PGT-A is most effective for women over the age of 37 – 38 years old. This is because women are born with all of their eggs, and as they age, the eggs are more prone to having chromosomal abnormalities. For example, for an average 30-year-old woman, approximately 25% of embryos are likely to be aneuploid, meaning chromosomally abnormal. In contrast, for a 41 year-old-woman, the percentage of aneuploid embryos may be as high as 70% or more. PGT-A can help to screen a group of embryos to find the one with the highest potential for implantation and healthy pregnancy.
The added cost of a PGT cycle can range from $3000 – $7000+ in addition to a standard IVF + ICSI cycle. This includes the embryo biopsy fee, the cost (billed per embryo) of genetic testing which is paid to the genetics company, and the cost of a frozen embryo transfer.
This is a very common question and the answer varies based on the aspiring parent’s objectives. On one hand, many people want to know the genetic makeup of an embryo before it is transferred to the uterus, which can help to achieve a successful pregnancy by avoiding failed transfers and miscarriages. However, on the other hand, when there are only 1 or 2 embryos to choose from, a person might choose to transfer those embryos in a fresh cycle rather than incur the extra costs of testing them. In general, the most common reason an embryo fails to implant is due to chromosomal abnormalities, so the large majority of abnormal embryos will either not implant, or miscarry early in pregnancy.
Unfortunately, this can happen. Sometimes we test a group of embryos and all of them are found to be aneuploid (abnormal). In this circumstance we recommend not to transfer those embryos and your physician will discuss either attempting another IVF cycle or pursuing alternative options, such as donor eggs.
PGT-A can test for the number of chromosomes in an embryo. PGT-M can test for genetic diseases, for example, if one of the parents is a carrier of the disease. While both tests can increase your chances of having a healthy and successful pregnancy, neither PGT-A nor PGT-M can guarantee a healthy baby. This is because PGT cannot rule out rare genetic diseases or random genetic or developmental differences.

Choose PCRM for Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) in Greater Vancouver and Edmonton

Serving British Columbia, Alberta, and Western Canada, PCRM is committed to giving aspiring parents their best chances of successfully having a child through IVF, which includes offering preimplantation genetic testing services. If you’re ready to take the next step towards becoming a parent, connect with us today for a genetic testing consultation.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)