Genetic testing helps in IVF success rate
Recent advances in science has given the ability to examine the genetic information of an embryo and to check whether the embryo is genetically normal or abnormal. These assessment tests have been developed to study conditions like Down syndrome, genetically transmitted conditions like Thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, hemophilia and many other genetic conditions in an embryo. Also, couples who have a family history of genetic diseases, or a child with any genetic disease, can be benefitted from these tests by preventing such genetic conditions from transmitting in their next progeny. It is also useful in detecting the possible occurrence of cancers like breast cancer, and later on set diseases like Alzheimer’s disease in the resultant individual. However, these tests can be offered to couples with repeated IVF failures, repeated miscarriages to achieve successful pregnancy. Thus these advanced techniques assist couples undergoing IVF to improve the chances of a successful and healthy pregnancy.
This article is by Dr Indira Hinduja, Consultant IVF & Gynaecologist at P D Hinduja Hospital & Medical Research Centre