Improving Chances in IVF: Does PGD really work?

[Anonymous]

SG offers PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis) in addition to regular screening prior to implantation during its IVF cycles. It's additional cost, and not one that my health insurance covers (even at 50%). I've also heard that SG has developed an even more advanced version of PGD that looks at all the chromosomes, though I don't know if it's being used with patients yet b/c it's so new.

Has anyone used PGD or know if it really does increase chances of having a live pregnancy?

Also, does anyone know more about the "new" PGD? I think it's called CGH and maybe Colorado does it?

[Anonymous]

i have heard that PGD doesn't improve the chances; and that it could potentially harm the embryo.

[Anonymous]

The PGD that SG now does doesn't improve success rates, but if you have a particular genetic disorder that you need to be screened for (e.g. cystic fibrosis), it is useful for that.

The CGH/microarray that CCRM offers does improve success rates because it tests for all chromosomes, especially if you can make it to blast and get a genetically normal blast. They haven't published their study yet, as it is still ongoing, but they are quoting a live birth rate of around 65% when transferring one normal blast and 80% when transferring two (although their twin rate is awfully high). SG has been talking about offering the same testing (the samples are actually shipped out to a lab in NJ), but they don't have their lab set up yet.