FAMILY GENDER BALANCING
PRE-IMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS (PGD)

Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is a technique that can be added to in vitro fertilization, oocyte donation and gestational surrogacy treatments. With this method, the prospective parents will know the gender of each embryo with close to 100% accuracy prior to their transfer in the uterus.

This procedure can also identify genetically abnormal embryos. There are many incurable diseases or disorders which are genetically based such as chromosome translocations and inversions, Cystic Fibrosis, Fragile X, Myotonic Dystrophy, Thalassaemia, Tay Sachs disease and others. Using PGD, it is possible to select only the unaffected embryos.

PGD requires the creation of embryos by in vitro fertilization, oocyte donation or gestational surrogacy.

PGD consists of the following steps:

1. Removal of embryonic cells
   
   Once embryos reach the 5 to 8 cell stage (three days after egg retrieval), an embryo biopsy is performed by creating an opening in the egg shell around the embryo.
   
   Since at this stage any cell inside the embryo has a full developmental potential, it is possible to safely remove a single cell through this opening using a micropipette. The procedure is performed under a special microscope with micromanipulators.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. Embryonic Chromosomal Analysis
   
   After the biopsy, the embryos are placed back in an incubator to await the results of the genetic analysis. The biopsied cell's chromosomes are analyzed outside of Nova IVF in a PGD laboratory. The embryos themselves do not leave Nova IVF laboratory.
   
   
3. Extended Embryo Culture
   
   The genetic analysis takes approximately one to two days. The embryos will be typically transferred at the morula (day 4) or blastocyst (day 5) stage.
   
   The results of the PGD analysis are obtained. The embryo(s) of the desired gender and/or that did not show chromosomal abnormalities is/are then transferred.
   
   The accuracy of PGD cell analysis approaches one hundred percent but it is not guaranteed. It is possible, even though highly unlikely, that embryo(s) that have tested as normal may not be genetically perfect.
   
   So far, there is no evidence that PGD embryos result in an increased chance of abnormalities in the baby or that the risk of birth defects is higher than the usual risk of abnormalities (2-5%) when compared to conceptions that occur spontaneously.

For additional in-depth information, please see Nova Treatments and Fees page.

If you wish to schedule an appointment for the family gender balancing/PGD treatment, please go to New Patient Appointment at Nova.

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