The pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) was developed in order to identify a genetic disease before making the transfer of embryos to the uterus. That is, before the pregnancy occurs. It is indicated for couples who have a disease that can be passed on to children or that impede the development of pregnancy, leading to loss of repeat pregnancy. Another indication for the technique is the repeated failure of implantation after IVF. The main advantage of PGD is to identify the disease before there is a pregnancy, thus avoiding the birth of offspring affected by genetic diseases and chromosomal abnormalities. It also avoids the need for donation of gametes or adoption, of the risk of having a child with a disability consistent with the life and the interruption of pregnancy.

To do PGD, there is a treatment of ICSI and conventional, prior to performing the transfer, the embryos are biopsied using the micropipettes and Laser to open the zona pellucida under microscopic vision and one or two cells are removed for to complete the genetic study. This is done by the techniques of FISH or PCR, depending on each case. The unaffected embryos are then transferred.

Important to note that due to possible differences between cells within the embryo (mosaicism) and reduced number of cells used for the diagnosis (1 or 2 only) there is a margin of error of about 5% diagnosis.

Rate of pregnancy - from 10 to 55%