PGT-A

PGT-A can support the IVF process and improve patient outcomes

At ArkLaTex Fertility, we want to help our patients create the families they desire. Our entire team is committed to offering unwavering support, detailed explanations, and the most advanced fertility treatments available. Our Northern Louisiana fertility doctor, David T. Vandermolen MD, MS, uses infertility testing and preimplantation genetic screenings, including PGT-A, to help make your baby dreams a reality.

Understanding the fertility testing process

During your initial visit, Dr. Vandermolen will review your complete medical history and discuss any medical concerns that you and your partner have. He will order standard bloodwork, perform a physical exam, schedule an ultrasound, and order a semen analysis for your partner. Family history, as well as any known fertility issues in either partner, will influence the decision to recommend genetic testing, such as PGT-A, or preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy.

What is PGT-A?

Many patients choose IVF to improve the chances of a successful pregnancy. PGT-A enables our embryology team to analyze the chromosomal health of embryos during an IVF cycle, so that we can select the best one for transfer. In cases of recurrent pregnancy loss, advanced maternal age or multiple failed IVF attempts, PGT-A can add an additional safeguard against chromosomal problems in embryos, boosting the potential for a positive outcome.

What is aneuploidy and what causes it?

Human beings are born with 46 chromosomes, which are threadlike structures of nucleic acids that carry critical genetic information. When aneuploidy occurs, the total number of chromosomes doesn’t equal 46. It is not unusual for chromosomal abnormalities to result as the cells divide and separate, which may lead to additional or missing chromosomes. Research indicates that aneuploidy causes more than half of first trimester miscarriages, and it can also cause genetic disorders in babies, including Down syndrome. PGT-A detects aneuploidy in embryos, so that only those embryos that are euploid, or chromosomally normal, are transferred to the uterus.

Understanding the PGT-A process

Once you decide to proceed with genetic testing, we will begin the IVF process by regulating your cycle and monitoring your ovaries for egg maturation. At the appropriate time, you will return for the egg retrieval. Then, your egg will be combined with your partner’s or a donor’s sperm in the laboratory.

At this point, our skilled embryologists will monitor embryo development. Between days 5 to 7, they will biopsy six to eight cells from each embryo. These samples are sent for analysis at a genetics laboratory, and Dr. Vandermolen should have results in about 10 days. This information will enable him and our lab team to select a chromosomally normal embryo for transfer.

As you begin planning your family, we understand that you and your partner want to do everything possible to have a healthy baby. Infertility testing and genetic screenings such as PGT-A can give you the best odds for success. Contact our office to make an appointment and discuss your options with our Northern Louisiana fertility doctor.

PGT A is a genetic test performed on embryos during IVF to check for the correct number of chromosomes. It helps identify embryos that are more likely to lead to a healthy pregnancy.

Many patients choose PGT A to reduce the risk of miscarriage, improve the chances of a successful implantation, and avoid transferring embryos with chromosomal abnormalities.

The testing process involves removing a few cells from the embryo, which is considered safe and does not affect the embryo’s ability to develop. Your reproductive endocrinologist can walk you through the process and help you decide if it’s the right step.