PGT-A Testing in India: Is It Needed for Every IVF Cycle?

In recent years, there have been numerous advances in the area of fertility treatments, and one of those advances is genetic screening, referred to as PGT-A testing.

At Little Angel IVF, couples often ask whether they need to have their embryos assessed for chromosomes in order to have a successful IVF treatment. The short answer? No. It can alter lives, save pregnancies, and even be used to identify healthy embryos, but it is an expensive procedure and is not always necessary on every trip.

Dr. Mona Dahiya feels the best approach is to go above and beyond the traditional norms and only suggest cutting-edge procedures when they are applicable to your medical and financial condition.

What Is PGT-A Testing?

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidies is known as PGT-A. It is used in filtering out embryos created during the IVF process so that the embryos can be transferred to the uterus with the correct number of chromosomes.

The number of chromosomes needed for a healthy embryo is 46. The most common cause of embryonic failure or early pregnancy loss is defects in the number of chromosomes. Experts can utilize screening to determine and select the embryos that have the right mix of genes and have the highest likelihood of leading to a healthy pregnancy.

How Is PGT-A Performed During IVF?

Eggs are retrieved and placed in the lab for 5 to 6 days of embryo culture to produce a “blastocyst.”

At the time of maturity, an embryologist will take a few cells from the outer layer that creates the placenta in a safe day 5 blastocyst biopsy.

These embryos are safely frozen while the cells are being tested genetically. After a couple of weeks, the genetic testing is completed and a euploid embryo transfer will be carried out, in which a healthy genetically normal embryo is carefully placed into the uterus.

Who Needs PGT-A Testing in IVF?

It is mainly used to help certain groups of patients achieve the best chance of pregnancy. The main groups who benefit include:

• Women over 35: Age can bring about changes in egg quality, which bring greater risks of abnormalities in the chromosomes.
• Recurrent IVF failure: Useful if several IVF cycles with good quality embryos have not resulted in pregnancy.
• Recurrent miscarriage causes: Identifies genetic issues that may cause recurrent miscarriage.
• Previous genetic conditions: If a previous pregnancy had an abnormality, it might be helpful to include this.

However, it is not essential for most young couples. If the woman is below 35 years of age during her first cycle, then she won’t require further tests because her baseline is already high.

Is Genetic Testing Mandatory for IVF in India?

The simple answer is no. Should there be a genetic test for IVF in India? Not at all. There is no law or doctor’s rule that mandates using genetic screening as part of your standard IVF treatment.

Deciding whether or not to pursue this screening will depend solely on your age, your medical history, the quality of your embryos, and your physician’s recommendations. It is always a joint decision between you and your fertility team.

We don’t like to over-treat patients or impose extra costs on your journey at Little Angel IVF. If there is a favorable general health assessment, then it might be best to have a regular IVF and not do extra genetic screening.

Is PGT Testing Worth It for IVF Under 35?

Young women (mostly under 35) have a high number of unaltered and healthy eggs available naturally. This means that your embryos have a very high probability of having the correct number of chromosomes by themselves. The screening adds a significant financial burden to these common cases, but does not really affect the final success rates.

PGT-A Test Success Rate India

The data on the success of the PGT-A test on Indian couples reveals that when a screened embryo is transferred, the risk of miscarriage is significantly reduced and the pregnancy time is shortened. Using normal embryos eliminates statistically failed cycles and guarantees optimum cycle safety.

However, a successful pregnancy still depends on other critical biological elements:

• The integrity of cells: The first quality of the original sperm and egg cells.
• Uterine Receptivity: The health and blood flow of the uterine lining and the thickness of the lining.
• Systemic Health: Metabolic health, age, and normal hormone levels at the start of the transfer cycle.

PGT-A Testing Cost in India

It is important to have an idea of the financial component when budgeting. The overall price of PGT-A in India normally ranges between ₹25,000 and ₹35,000 per embryo. The cost of base treatment is also likely to go up by ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh because 4-5 embryos are tested in the lab.

As it is a state-of-the-art infrastructure, the cost of preimplantation genetic testing in India depends on the city, lab, and case at hand. We strive to be fully transparent about the costs at Little Angel IVF and give you a clear breakdown of the costs that is tailored to your medical requirements.

Are There Any Risks Involved?

Any type of handling outside the body has a small risk, but modern IVF labs have brought this down significantly in the past decade.

A skilled embryologist can carry out the biopsy with utmost safety in only a few seconds in a high-quality lab by utilizing ultra-precise lasers. With the expert management of a team, the real risk of embryo damage is extremely small, typically less than 1 percent. 

Conclusion

Overall, PGT-A is an extraordinarily useful tool that holds great promise for certain subgroups of fertility patients. It can expedite a woman’s journey to pregnancy, especially for older women or women who have had multiple miscarriages. But it is not required for all IVF cycles.

Fertility treatments should always be suited to your personal medical history, cost and comfort. Book an appointment with us and select the appropriate path, it takes the assistance of an open, honest fertility expert who is not looking for extra diagnostic tests.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Does a normal PGT-A report guarantee a 100% successful pregnancy?

No. It does tell you that the embryo contains the correct number of chromosomes, but you need to have a healthy uterus, hormone levels and lining receptivity to be successful. 

2. Can PGT-A cause long-term birth defects in the baby?

No, just a few cells are removed in the biopsy from the outer layers (placenta). The inner cells which form the baby remain unaffected.

3. How much does the average PGT-A testing cost in India?

The cost of the PGT-A testing in India is typically about ₹25,000 to ₹35,000 per embryo, and ultimately depends on the number of embryos that are being tested. 

4. What is PGT-A testing?

PGT-A tests the whole chromosome complement without discriminating against particular ones for random abnormalities such as Down syndrome.

5. Can I choose the gender of my baby using PGT-A testing in India?

No. Gender selection is illegal and is punishable in India by the PCPNDT Act.The test is only taken to pick up medical abnormalities.