Is it necessary to examine the chromosomal status of the embryos before transferring them?

In IVF/ICSI treatment, is it essential to examine the chromosomal status of the embryos before transferring them into the uterus?

Couples who experience difficulty conceiving often opt for IVF/ICSI to achieve pregnancy. Prior to undergoing such procedures, it is common for them to ask, “whether it is necessary to examine the chromosomal status of the embryo before transferring them.” Chromosomal screening is one of the available options for treating infertility, and its implementation depends on the individual preferences of each couple. There are pros and cons to both screening and not screening, and the decision ultimately depends on the fundamental factors unique to each couple.

Before making a decision on whether to undergo chromosomal screening, couples should educate themselves on the potential benefits and drawbacks of such screening. There are factors that should be considered when making a decision to undergo chromosomal screening of embryos, including:

– The risk of embryo biopsy, which involves removing 1–2 cells from a day-3 embryo (which normally has 8 cells), which may cause the embryo to stop developing either before or after being transferred. However, the chance of this happening is very low, and there is currently no evidence that embryo biopsy leads to abnormal development of the resulting baby when cells are removed on day 5 or 6.
– The laboratory where the embryo chromosomal screening is performed must have good capacity and standards to ensure accurate and safe testing, as poor laboratory conditions can increase the risk of the embryo becoming damaged or dying in the end.
– Prior to testing, embryos must grow well and has good grades. In cases where the examined embryo has good grades and good growth, it can be used for chromosomal screening before transferring to the woman’s uterus.
– For embryos with slow growth and poor grades, it is not recommended chromosomal screening as there is a higher likelihood that the embryo may have chromosomal abnormalities, which may incur additional costs without benefits.
– Women of advanced age, whether young or old, have a risk of having an abnormal chromosomal status. However, women aged 30 and above have a 23% chance of having an abnormal chromosomal status, which increases to 58% at the age of 40.
– Are chromosomal screening results always accurate? The results of chromosomal screening through scientific and medical testing may have a small risk of error or false results. However, current research shows that the chance of misreading results in NGS technique is less than 1%.

Advantages of making a decision to test the embryo’s chromosomes:

– In the case where all test results come back abnormal, it saves the couple time and avoids going through the assisted reproductive technology process. If they need to undergo IVF/ICSI, they can start again more quickly.
– Saves costs. Testing the embryo’s chromosomes saves couples who have difficulty conceiving and want children from having to spend additional costs such as embryo freezing and transferring to the woman’s uterus.
– Saves time of embryo transfer. When the embryo’s chromosome test results come back abnormal, it saves the couple time from preparing for embryo transfer or even allowing the woman to recover after embryo transfer.
– It reduces the risk of abnormal pregnancies due to the transfer of abnormal embryos, which may lead to complications such as miscarriage, bleeding, infection, including having infants with disabilities and having to scrape the uterus to terminate the pregnancy.
– It may provide emotional relief for couples undergoing IVF/ICSI, as they can avoid the disappointment of transferring abnormal embryos and potentially experiencing a failed pregnancy, which can lead to miscarriage, blighted ovum, and heart failure.

Individuals who have indications for genetic screening include:

● Couples who have undergone IVF treatment and failed to conceive without knowing the cause.
● Women over the age of 35 who are at risk of genetic abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.
● Women who have experienced recurrent miscarriages before or at 12 weeks of gestation at least twice in a row.
● Women who have previously had a pregnancy with chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome.
● Those who have a history of chromosomal abnormalities in either the male or female partner.

Should NGS chromosome screening be performed for ICSI babies?

Chromosome screening of embryos is available for couples who experience infertility and wish to have a baby through IVF/ICSI using high-quality blastocysts. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) is a detailed screening method that screens embryos at both the chromosome and gene levels, filtering out embryos with abnormal genetic variations. In the case of couples undergoing ICSI, embryos are cultured until the blastocyst stage before taking cells for NGS screening prior to transfer into the uterus.

The advantage of NGS testing for embryos is that it is a technique for chromosomal analysis that has an error rate of less than 1%. It is a method of analyzing genetics at one step in the process of ICSI treatment, which enables us to accurately determine the quality of the embryos, up to 99%. This testing allows couples to identify any abnormalities in the embryos before they are transferred to the uterus, increasing the chances of successful pregnancy by selecting embryos that are healthy and strong. At the same time, it helps to reduce the rate of termination of pregnancy due to abnormalities in embryos and to reduce the transmission of genetic diseases from generation to generation.

Is chromosomal screening good after all?

For couples who have difficulty having children and want to conceive, the chromosomal testing of the embryo should be performed on a blastocyst of good quality from the process of IVF/ICSI.

Whether the result of chromosomal testing of the embryo is good or not depends on how much risk the couple is willing to accept for the possibility of the child having abnormalities according to their age. If the couple cannot accept the risk of abnormal chromosomal results, it is recommended to perform chromosomal testing to prevent disappointment from unexpected situations such as a child being born with abnormalities, miscarriage, or fetal heart failure.

When a couple have studied the “advantages” of testing the chromosomes of their embryos versus the “advantages” of not testing, along with the various costs involved in considering whether they want to screen the chromosomes of their embryos or not, they must make the decision by themselves. They may receive detailed advice from a doctor who specializes in treating infertility before deciding whether or not to undergo chromosome testing.

If you are a couple who are undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment and are considering genetic testing of your embryos before transferring them to the uterus, you can consult with Genesis Fertility Center (GFC). GFC is a comprehensive medical center for infertility that uses advanced technology and innovation to help couples with infertility. With the expertise of their medical team and staff, they offer genetic testing using NGS technology, which analyzes the genetic makeup of embryos with high accuracy up to 99%. This helps increase the chances of successful implantation and reduces the risk of miscarriage and abnormal pregnancies due to genetic factors.

You can consult GFC at…

Call Center 097-484-5335
Monday–Friday: 9.00–20.00  Saturday–Sunday: 8.00–20.00.