What is preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)?

Preimplantation genetic diagnostics (PGD) is a procedure used to screen embryos during the in vitro (IVF) fertilization process. Although this procedure is not used for all IVF patients, many decide to proceed because it allows them to select the healthiest embryos for transmission, which increases the chances of a healthy child. This procedure was first performed in 1988 and has improved significantly since then. Can be done on one oocyte or human egg, or can be done on an embryo. To perform this procedure, an egg sample or embryo is carefully biopsy and then subjected to genetic screening. After screening, the physician can identify the healthiest embryo and recommend one or more to transmit to the patient's uterus.

There are two main reasons to perform PGD. The first is in the case of a pair that is susceptible to genetic disseases. For example, if a mother knows that he carries haemophilia, she can opt for PGDs and decide to implant an embryos that positively test for this disease. WITHThe IROKA range of genetic diseases can be checked using its procedure, including Huntington's disease, the fragile X and cystic fibrosis syndrome, among many others.

PGD is also performed for testing aneuploidy, unusual number of chromosomes that could cause health problems; The risk of aneuploidy increases in older mothers. In the case of trisomy, someone has three chromosomes where there should be a couple, and in monosomy there is a single chromosome, rather than a couple. Aneuploidy can cause the extent of congenital defects and testing can allow people to eliminate embryos that can carry such congenital defects.

There are a number of ethical concerns about PGD. Although it does not allow parents to choose "designer children," he sets up situations where parents could decide to eliminate embryos that are susceptible to cancer, deafness, blindness and other conditions that do not necessarily have to be fatal, depending on how they treat them. Some bioetics are afraid that this procedure creates a situation where people could come to the price of some forms of life over others. It also allows people to choose for men or women, other practice that is not without controversy, and some recommend setting fixed lines in terms of using PGDs in reproductive decisions, which has led to another debate.

PGD has some very certain advantages. For example, some embryos fail to develop as a result of deep genetic defects and eliminate these embryos increase the chances of healthy pregnancy. Parents can also take advantage of the knowledge gained from screening to inform health decisions for their children and can reduce the need for other IVF cycles by increasing the Kancedue of the child's production.

Of course, PGD is not flawless. It is possible to omit genetic defects depending on which cell is bioprated or misinterpreted by defects. Some doctors also fear that this might interfere with embryonic development because it includesRemoving the cell in the critical stage of the development for the embryo.