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New Data on Genetic Testing
of Embryos Before Transplantation Shows Reduction in Miscarriages
and Improved Chance of Normal Pregnancy
Livingston, N.J. -- New data reveals that
with genetic testing prior to implantation, the rate of miscarriage
is significantly reduced, from 23 percent to 9 percent, and
pregnancy rates in infertile couples increased, according
to the latest research from the Institute for Reproductive
Medicine and Science at Saint Barnabas Medical Center. The
procedure, termed Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD),
also decreases the chances for chromosomal abnormalities,
such as Downs Syndrome. In women who experienced repeated
miscarriages, the rate went from 100 percent to only 5 percent.
PGD, performed routinely at only a few centers in the world,
involves removing a single cell from a three-day-old embryo
and testing it for chromosomal disorders. Abnormal embryos
can then be discarded, leaving only the healthy ones for
transfer. The obvious advantage of PGD, states Jacques Cohen,
Ph.D., Scientific Director of Assisted Reproduction at the
Institute, is the reduction in the chance of having a baby
with chromosomal abnormalities, the decrease in repeated
miscarriages and the increase in pregnancy rate following
PGD.
Santiago Munne, Ph.D., Director of Implantation and Genetics
at the Saint Barnabas Institute, has been one of the leading
pioneers of PGD in the world. The procedure is very intricate,
Dr. Munne explains, but it does not seem to affect the normal
development of the embryo nor does it cause further inconvenience
to the patient. In addition to performing cases at Saint
Barnabas, including patients referred from IVF centers throughout
the United States, Dr. Munne has performed PGD on 200 patients
in Italy over the last two years.
For further information about PGD, please contact the Institute
for Reproductive Medicine and Science of Saint Barnabas at
(973) 322-8286.
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