BRIEFLY, WHAT IS PGD?
Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis consists of the biopsy of a single cell per embryo, followed by its genetic diagnosis through different techniques (FISH, PCR, or CGH), and the subsequent replacement to the patient of those embryos classified by genetic diagnosis as normal.
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM PGD
Based on our own results, PGD can help the following patients:
- Women of 35 and older: Any IVF patient over 35 years of age with more than 5 zygotes and without a history of repeated IVF failure can benefit from PGD (Munne et al. 1999, Human Reprod, 14:2191-2199; Munn et al. 2003 Reprod Biomed Online 7:91-97).
- Women with a prior history of repeated spontaneous abortions or trisomic conceptions: Regardless of age, these patients can benefit from PGD with higher implantation rates, reduced spontaneous abortion rates, and reduced risk of chromosomally abnormal conceptions (Munne et al. 2004, Prenat. Diagn 24:638-647).
- Carriers of single gene disorders: These patients benefit from PGD by reducing the risk of conceiving an affected baby. Also, through HLA matching, PGD can help select for embryos that are histo-compatible with live siblings.
- Carriers of chromosome translocations, or other chromosome abnormalities: Translocation carriers can reduce the risk of miscarriage and chromosomally abnormal offspring (Munn et al. 2000, Fertil Steril 73:1209-1218).
- Other indications: For patients with repeated IVF failure, or extreme male factor, PGD can be useful to find if high rates of chromosome abnormalities are the cause of their infertility.
WHAT IS REPROGENETICS
Reprogenetics LLC is a genetics laboratory specialized in Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). Although the company was created in 2000, its director, Santiago Munn, and team of scientist have been involved in PGD for more than a decade. These scientists have been involved in PGD since 1991, first providing PGD services at Cornell University, and later at Saint Barnabas Medical Center (Livingston, NJ). They decided to create Reprogenetics as a separate PGD service, offering state-of-the-art genetic testing to reproductive medicine programs for their patients during IVF procedures.
Reprogenetics has two reference laboratories in the U.S.A. where IVF centers can send their samples. One is located on the East Coast in West Orange, NJ; the other on the West Coast in San Francisco, CA. http://www.reprogenetics.com
Overseas in Europe we have a laboratory in Barcelona, Spain: http://www.reprogeneticsspain.com And in Asia we have a laboratory in Kobe, Japan: http://www.reprogenetics.jp