A Typical PGD Case
A PGD cycle in which the cells will be sent out for genetic testing
follows the following timeline:
Embryo Biopsy (Early, day 3 of embryo development)
On the morning of biopsy,
the embryos are evaluated for appearance and morphology. One or two
blastomeres are removed from each embryo that appears normal and is
at the optimal stage for embryo biopsy (usually 6-10 cells). Following
biopsy, the embryos are returned to the incubator and allowed to continue
development.
Cell Spreading (Following biopsy on day 3 of embryo development)
Each cell is picked up from
its biopsy dish and washed prior to being placed on the microscope slide
in a hypotonic solution. Following hypotonic swelling, the cell membrane
is lysed, leaving an intact nucleus on the slide.
Sample Shipment (Following cell spreading on day 3 of
embryo development)
Once all of the biopsied
cells are spread on the slide and the slide has been dried, they are
packed up in the shipping materials provided by GIVF and shipped via
FedEx to our laboratory in Fairfax, VA.
Genetic Testing (Day 4 and morning of Day 5 of embryo
development)
The blastomeres that are
biopsied from the embryos are tested separately using highly sophisticated
laboratory techniques like FISH or PCR. Once the testing is complete,
a laboratory report is prepared and e-mailed to the clinic detailing
the results of the genetic testing.
Embryo Transfer (Day 5 of embryo development)
Following receipt of the
lab report, the medical staff at your clinic is able to use the results
to make decisions with the patient regarding which embryos should be
transferred into the uterus.
