LifeQuest Centre for Reproductive Medicine

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) and Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS), are genetic tests that help identify embryos suitable for transfer back to the uterus in an IVF cycle. LifeQuest manages more PGD/PGS cycles than any other fertility clinic in Canada. And we do so at our dedicated, on-site human embryology laboratory. The term “PGD” is often used as a catch-all phrase for all cases where a cell is removed from an embryo for genetic testing prior to placing or transferring the embryo back to the uterus. The distinction between PGD and PGS can be confusing and is not consistently used. Those patients with a known genetic abnormality such as a single gene defect, undergo PGD while those for whom this technology is a tool to help screen embryos for abnormal number of chromosomes or aneuploidy (as in the case of women over the age of 38 or with a history of recurrent pregnancy loss) are said to be having screening done, hence the use of the term PGS.

For whom is this testing appropriate?

• Women of advanced maternal age (>38years)

• Couples with a history of unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss (miscarriage).

• Couples with a history of a previous pregnancy that was found to be chromosomally abnormal. 

• Couples where at least one partner has a known genetic defect (such as cystic fibrosis, Tay Sachs, myotonic dystrophy, etc) that has previously been identified.

• Couples where at least one partner has a specific chromosomal rearrangement known as a translocation.

• Couples who desire an HLA-matched sibling for a living child requiring a bone marrow transplant.

To read more about this topic please see the accompanying article What is PDG / PGS?