What is Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)?

Preimplantation genetic diagnostics is a procedure used to detect specific genetic diseases in embryos before they are transferred to the uterus.

Preimplantation genetic diagnostics (PGD) is the best chance for many who want to have healthy children who do not have their parents’ genetic abnormalities.

PGD should not be confused with PGS, preimplantation genetic screening, which is a more general scan of an embryo for an abnormal number of chromosomes.

PGD tests for a specific genetic condition and allows testing for more than 500 genetic diseases.

The PGD process begins with an embryo biopsy, which consists of removing a few cells from the blastocyst, the growing embryo, on the third or fifth day of its development.

Then genetic analysis. Genetic testing usually takes up to 10 days, during which time the blastocyst is frozen to stop its development.

After receiving the results, the embryos will be thawed for transfer to the uterus.