PGS vs. PGD: Understanding the Differences
Dr. Marc Kalan and Dr. Nurit Winkler always strive to ensure success during fertility treatments. The health of our patients is extremely important to us, as is the health of their infants. This is why our Encino, Bakersfield, Los Angeles, CA fertility clinics offer both preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Both PGD and PGS can help test embryos for potential birth defects and medical issues that can impact the viability of a pregnancy.
While PGS and PGD are both preventative measures prior to embryo transfer, each differs in important ways. Let’s take a moment to note the differences between PGS and PGD. This should help you understand the function and importance of each.
What Is Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)?
PGS is a test performed on embryos that identifies chromosomal abnormalities, such as missing chromosomes or additional chromosomes. PGS can be done even if both parents do not suffer from any chromosomal abnormalities themselves.
What Conditions Can PGS Help Address?
PGS can help detect Down syndrome, Patau syndrome, Turner syndrome, and other chromosomal abnormalities. In addition, identifying chromosomal abnormalities can reduce the risk of miscarriage, difficult childbirth, and fetal death.
What Is Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)?
PGD is a test performed on embryos that identifies genetic mutations and congenital birth defects. This is recommended for patients who may have a genetic predisposition for certain medical issues that may impact the health/development of a child and/or the viability of a pregnancy.
What Conditions Can PGD Help Address?
PGD can detect a number of different genetic conditions, including cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell anemia, and hemophilia. As with PGS, identifying genetic disorders can help prevent pregnancy loss and other issues with pregnancy.
Should I Pick PGS or PGD?
The answer to this question really depends on the patient.
During the consultation process, we’ll discuss your issues with infertility, including your medical history and any past issues with pregnancy loss. We can also discuss family medical history as this can reveal a potential a genetic predisposition that could affect a baby’s health and wellness.
After discussing your concerns, we can determine if PGS or PGD is warranted. For some couples, the testing may not be necessary since the risk for genetic disorders and chromosomal errors is low. In other cases, we may perform both PGS and PGD to comprehensively screen embryos prior to moving forward with fertility procedures.
How Testing Can Help Patients
There is a lot of worry when you get pregnant. You may have anxiety over the health of your baby and what future they’ll have. PGS and PGD can give parents peace of mind during the fertility treatment process. Whether you undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) or work with a gestational carrier, preventative testing prior to implantation could be in your best interests.
Contact Los Angeles Reproductive Center
If you would like to learn more about PGD, PGS, and other tests run as part of an assisted reproduction procedure, be sure to contact our board-certified fertility doctors. You can reach our fertility specialists in Los Angeles and Encino by calling (818) 208-5481, our fertility specialists in Thousand Oaks by calling (805) 427-2959, and our fertility specialists in Bakersfield by calling (661) 889-5173.