Four Misconceptions about PGT-A (Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy on Embryos)

Check out Katie Lee's website and fertility/miscarriage related digital downloads: https://www.katieleecgc.com/shop

Katie Lee is a certified genetic counselor with over five years of practice in reproductive medicine. She has worked for one of the most well-known IVF clinics in the United States and a genetic testing laboratory that offers fertility related genetic testing. She is currently employed by one of the largest sperm banks in the US. Katie started this YouTube channel to support people going through fertility treatment and miscarriages. On this channel Katie discusses topics in fertility/preconception genetic counseling and her own personal experience with unexplained recurrent pregnancy loss.

Today Katie is starting a series on preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A), which is also known as preimplantation genetic screening or PGS. During this video she briefly describes PGT-A and explains four common patient misconceptions about PGT-A that she frequently hears while counseling patients.

Here are misconceptions she covers in this video:
1) PGT-A is 100% accurate. Nope- it is a very good screening tool to large chromosome imbalances in an embryo and most labs quote around a 98% accuracy, but it is not perfect and there is a chance for misdiagnosis of an embryo.
2) Transfering an embryo tested by PGT-A eliminates the risk for genetic diseases, autism, and birth defects in the baby. No- There is no genetic test on embryos or pregnancies that can eliminate the risk for all diseases. PGT-A only tests for large chromosome imbalances. Transferring a chromosomally normal (euploid) embryo does not reduce the risk for single gene diseases, birth defects, or multifactorial conditions like autism, autoimmune diseases, or allergies.
3) All PGT-A labs are the same. False. Different labs may use a slightly different methodology, report results differently, and quote different accuracies and limitations.
4) PGT-A provides a result on each embryo. Not quite- PGT-A provides results on embryo samples, or biopsies taken from embryos, but is technically possible that the biopsy that is sent off and studied by the lab is different from the embryo frozen at your clinic. This is a limitation of PGT-A. Currently, there is no way to test the whole embryo without destroying it.

This content is for educational and informational purposes only. This video is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please contact your doctor or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding medical advice, your condition or treatment.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:37 What is PGT-A?
3:36 PGT-A is not 100% accurate.
4:32 PGT-A does not look for all genetic diseases.
6:42 All PGT-A labs are not the same.
7:38 PGT-A is not a result on the whole embryo.