Use and misuse of preimplantation genetic testing

doi:10.1136/bmj.39314.439491.AD

BMJ, doi: 10.1136/bmj.39314.439491.AD, (Published 6 September 2007)

Analysis

Use and misuse of preimplantation genetic testing

Peter Braude, director, Frances Flinter, clinical director of children's services and genetics

Centre for Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis, Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust, Guy's Hospital, London SE1 9RT

Correspondence to: P Braude peter.braude@kcl.ac.uk

Detection of genetic diseases before implantation for couplesat risk helps ensure healthy children, but testing for aneuploidydoes not improve the chances of live birth in normal infertilewomen, say Peter Braude and Frances Flinter

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

A randomised trial in the New England Journal of Medicine hasrekindled the acrimonious debate about the efficacy and appropriatenessof testing for chromosomal imbalance (aneuploidy) before implantationin older infertile women having in vitro fertilisation.¹ Thesewomen have such a poor prognosis of having a child by in vitrofertilisation that many will latch on to any promise that mightimprove their odds. This is the second randomised trial thatshows no benefit from preimplantation genetic screening, yetadvocates are unwilling to accept the findings. We examine theplace of genetic testing of embryos in modern medical practiceand possible future uses.

Preimplantation diagnosis

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was developed as analternative to prenatal diagnosis and possible termination ofan affected pregnancy for couples at risk of passing on a seriousgenetic disease to their children.² ³ It has an important placein preventing transmission of inherited conditions where thechild . . . [Full text of this article]