If you’re considering IVF and wondering whether preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) could help you choose embryos for transfer, you’re not alone. PGT can identify certain chromosome or genetic abnormalities in embryos before pregnancy, but it is not suitable or necessary for everyone. Understanding the different PGT types, process, benefits and limitations can help you have a more informed discussion with your fertility specialist.
At Almond Blossoms Fertility & Wellbeing Center in Dubai Healthcare City, PGT is considered alongside your fertility history, reproductive goals and medical circumstances rather than as a one-size-fits-all treatment.
Key Takeaways
- PGT tests embryos created through IVF for specific genetic or chromosomal findings.
- PGT-A, PGT-M and PGT-SR answer different genetic questions.
- PGT does not guarantee pregnancy or a healthy baby, so suitability should be assessed on an individual basis.
What Is Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)?
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is a laboratory-based testing process used to examine embryos created through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) before an embryo is transferred to the uterus.
The term preimplantation simply means that testing occurs before the embryo is transferred into the uterus.
During an IVF cycle, eggs are collected and fertilised with sperm to create embryos. Embryos may then be cultured in the laboratory until they reach the blastocyst stage, usually around day 5 or 6.
At this stage, a small sample of cells can be taken from the embryo for genetic analysis. The embryo is generally frozen while the laboratory testing is completed, and the results can then help the fertility team determine which embryos may be appropriate for transfer.
What does PGT test for?
Depending on the type of PGT being considered, testing may look for:
- Abnormal numbers of chromosomes
- A specific inherited single-gene condition
- Certain structural chromosome abnormalities
It is important to understand that PGT does not test an embryo for every possible health condition. The type of information obtained depends on the specific test performed.
What Are the Different Types of PGT?
One of the most important things to understand in this complete guide to preimplantation genetic testing is that PGT-A, PGT-M and PGT-SR are not interchangeable.
PGT-A: Testing for Chromosome Number
PGT-A stands for preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy.
Aneuploidy means that an embryo has an abnormal number of chromosomes — for example, an extra or missing chromosome.
PGT-A can identify embryos with chromosome-number abnormalities and may help the fertility team understand which embryos have a chromosome profile compatible with transfer.
However, PGT-A is a selection tool, not a guarantee of pregnancy. Evidence does not show that PGT-A improves the chance of having a baby for every IVF patient, and its potential value depends on individual circumstances
PGT-M: Testing for a Specific Genetic Condition
PGT-M means preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders.
A monogenic disorder is a condition caused by a change in a specific gene.
PGT-M may be considered when there is a known genetic condition in the family or when one or both reproductive partners are known carriers of a particular inherited condition.
Examples can include certain forms of:
- Cystic fibrosis
- Thalassemia
- Sickle cell disease
- Other single-gene disorders
PGT-M is designed to look for a specific genetic condition, rather than broadly screening an embryo for all genetic diseases.
PGT-SR: Testing for Structural Chromosome Changes
PGT-SR stands for preimplantation genetic testing for structural rearrangements.
This type of testing may be relevant when a person carries a structural chromosome rearrangement, such as a translocation or inversion.
These chromosome changes can sometimes affect embryo development or increase the risk of pregnancy loss.
PGT-SR can help identify embryos that do not carry the relevant unbalanced chromosome arrangement.
Quick comparison
| PGT type | What it looks for | Who may discuss it with a specialist? |
| PGT-A | Abnormal chromosome number | Some IVF patients depending on individual circumstances |
| PGT-M | Specific single-gene condition | Couples with a known inherited genetic risk |
| PGT-SR | Structural chromosome rearrangements | People with certain chromosome rearrangements |
The appropriate test depends on your medical and genetic history, not simply your age or number of previous IVF attempts.
How Does PGT Work With IVF?
PGT requires embryos to be created through IVF because the embryos must be available in the laboratory for biopsy and genetic analysis. This means PGT is not a standalone blood test performed before conception.
Here is a simplified overview of the process.
Step 1: Fertility assessment and treatment planning
Before IVF begins, your fertility specialist reviews your medical history, reproductive history and previous fertility treatment.
Depending on your circumstances, this may include hormone testing, ultrasound assessment, semen analysis and other investigations.
If there is a known inherited condition, genetic information from both partners may also be important when determining whether PGT-M is appropriate.
Step 2: Ovarian stimulation
Medications are used to encourage the ovaries to develop multiple eggs during one treatment cycle.
Your response is monitored through appointments and ultrasound examinations.
The number of eggs obtained varies considerably between individuals, so having fewer or more eggs does not automatically determine whether PGT will be successful.
Step 3: Egg collection and fertilisation
The mature eggs are collected and fertilised with sperm.
IVF, or in vitro fertilisation, involves combining eggs and sperm in the laboratory.
ICSI, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection, involves injecting a single sperm directly into a mature egg. The method used depends on your circumstances and the embryology team’s assessment.
You can learn more through Almond Blossoms’ IVF & ICSI
Step 4: Embryo development
Successfully fertilised eggs develop into embryos in the laboratory.
Embryologists monitor their development, with embryos potentially reaching the blastocyst stage around day 5 or 6.
Step 5: Embryo biopsy
At the blastocyst stage, a small number of cells are carefully removed from the embryo.
The cells collected for analysis contain genetic material that can be tested by a specialist laboratory.
The embryo itself is preserved, commonly through freezing, while the testing takes place.
Step 6: Genetic analysis
The biopsy sample is analysed according to the type of PGT requested.
For example:
- PGT-A examines chromosome number.
- PGT-M examines a specific gene-related condition.
- PGT-SR examines certain structural chromosome abnormalities.
Step 7: Results and embryo selection
Your fertility specialist and embryology/genetics team review the results.
Depending on the test, embryos may be reported as suitable, affected, unaffected, abnormal, or with other categories such as mosaic findings.
Mosaicism means that different cells within the embryo may have different chromosome patterns. These results can be complex and should be discussed individually with your specialist rather than interpreted from a simple online chart.
Step 8: Frozen embryo transfer
When an embryo has been selected for transfer, your fertility team prepares the uterus and plans the embryo transfer at the appropriate time.
PGT therefore adds a laboratory and decision-making stage to an IVF pathway.
Who May Consider PGT?
There is no single age, diagnosis, or IVF history that automatically means you should have PGT.
Your fertility specialist may discuss genetic testing when there is a particular medical or reproductive reason to consider it.
Situations that may lead to a discussion include:
- A known inherited genetic condition in the family
- One or both partners carrying a specific genetic condition
- A known structural chromosome rearrangement
- Previous pregnancy affected by a genetic or chromosomal condition
- Repeated pregnancy losses in certain circumstances
- Previous IVF outcomes where embryo chromosome status is a relevant consideration
- A desire to understand more about embryo chromosome status during IVF
For PGT-M and PGT-SR, the presence of a known genetic or chromosomal risk is particularly important.
Does age automatically mean you need PGT-A?
No.
Chromosomal abnormalities become more common with increasing maternal age, but age alone does not mean that PGT-A is automatically the right choice.
The evidence surrounding PGT-A is nuanced. For most fertility patients, high-quality evidence has not established that PGT-A improves the overall chance of having a baby, although it may have value in particular clinical situations and can reduce the chance of miscarriage in some circumstances.
That is why a personalised consultation is more useful than choosing PGT based only on an age threshold.
What Are the Benefits and Limitations of PGT?
PGT can provide useful information, but it is important to balance potential benefits with its limitations.
Potential benefits
Depending on your circumstances, PGT may:
- Identify embryos with certain chromosome abnormalities
- Help reduce the likelihood of transferring an embryo affected by a known genetic condition
- Help couples with a known inherited condition make more informed reproductive decisions
- Provide additional information when selecting embryos for transfer
- Be particularly valuable for couples facing a known genetic risk
For people with a serious inherited condition, PGT-M can offer an opportunity to reduce the risk of passing that specific condition to a child.
What PGT cannot guarantee?
It is equally important to understand what PGT cannot do.
PGT does not guarantee:
- Pregnancy
- Implantation
- A live birth
- A genetically or medically healthy baby
- That an embryo will develop normally after transfer
- That every genetic or chromosomal condition has been excluded
PGT-A also does not examine every possible genetic condition. It primarily evaluates chromosome number.
There can also be situations where no embryo is suitable for transfer. This may happen because there are not enough embryos, embryos do not develop to the appropriate stage, embryos have relevant genetic findings, or other treatment factors affect the outcome.
Can PGT damage an embryo?
Embryo biopsy is generally performed carefully by experienced embryologists, but no laboratory procedure is completely without risk.
There is a small possibility that biopsy can affect an embryo’s ability to continue developing. PGT results can also have limitations, including the possibility of an uncertain or misleading result in some circumstances.
For this reason, PGT should be considered as part of a complete fertility treatment plan rather than as a guarantee of outcome.
How Accurate Is PGT?
Patients understandably ask, “If my embryo is reported as normal, does that mean my baby will definitely be healthy?”
PGT analyses a small number of cells taken from an embryo. Those cells are used to provide information about the embryo, but the test does not provide an absolute guarantee about future pregnancy or a child’s health.
The possibility of mosaicism is one reason interpretation can be complicated. In mosaic embryos, different groups of cells may have different chromosome profiles, meaning that results may require careful specialist interpretation.
For PGT-M and PGT-SR, testing is also highly specific to the genetic or chromosome issue being investigated. These tests are not a substitute for all forms of prenatal screening or diagnostic testing.
Your fertility specialist can explain what your specific PGT result means and whether additional testing during pregnancy should be considered.
Does PGT Improve IVF Success Rates?
This is one of the most important questions to ask before paying for genetic testing.
PGT does not guarantee a higher IVF success rate.
For PGT-A specifically, evidence reviewed by the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority indicates that there is not sufficient evidence that it improves the chance of having a baby for most fertility patients. PGT-A may, however, have a role in reducing miscarriage in some circumstances.
This distinction matters.
A test can provide useful information about embryos without necessarily increasing the overall number of babies born per IVF cycle.
Your expected outcome can depend on factors such as:
- Age
- Egg and sperm factors
- Number and quality of embryos
- Previous fertility treatment
- Underlying reproductive conditions
- The specific reason for considering PGT
- The type of PGT performed
Rather than focusing on a single advertised “PGT success rate,” ask your fertility specialist what the test is expected to achieve in your particular situation.
PGT in Dubai: What Should You Ask Your Fertility Specialist?
If you’re considering PGT in Dubai, choosing a clinic should involve more than comparing a treatment price.
Before starting, consider asking:
- Why is PGT being recommended for me?
- Which type of PGT do I need — PGT-A, PGT-M or PGT-SR?
- What exactly will the test detect?
- How many embryos might realistically reach the testing stage?
- What happens if all tested embryos are unsuitable for transfer?
- How are mosaic or uncertain results handled?
- Will I need genetic counselling?
- What are the additional laboratory and treatment costs?
- How long will the testing process take?
- What prenatal testing may still be recommended if I become pregnant?
These questions can make a consultation much more productive and help you understand both the potential value and limitations of testing.
At Fertility & Wellbeing Center, the PGT service combines fertility medicine, embryology and genetic considerations with personalised emotional support. The clinic’s PGT service describes testing options including PGT-A, PGT-M and PGT-SR and emphasises individualised treatment planning.
The Emotional Side of Choosing Genetic Testing
Genetic testing can be medically complex, but the decisions surrounding it can also be emotionally difficult.
You may feel hopeful about having more information about your embryos while simultaneously feeling anxious about receiving results. Some couples may also find decisions about embryo selection particularly challenging when there are few embryos available.
This is where psychological support can be valuable.
At an integrated fertility and wellbeing centre, emotional support does not replace medical or genetic expertise. Instead, it can give you a space to process uncertainty, discuss treatment-related stress and communicate with your partner while you make reproductive decisions.
For some couples, counselling can be particularly helpful when previous IVF attempts, miscarriage or concerns about an inherited condition have made treatment emotionally exhausting.
Conclusion: Is PGT Right for You?
Preimplantation genetic testing can provide valuable information about embryos created through IVF, particularly when there is a known genetic condition or a specific concern about chromosome abnormalities. But PGT is not a universal requirement for IVF, nor does it guarantee pregnancy or a healthy baby.
The most appropriate decision depends on why you are considering PGT, your reproductive history, your genetic background, and the embryos available for testing.
At Almond Blossoms Fertility & Wellbeing Center in Dubai Healthcare City, fertility specialists can discuss whether PGT may be appropriate for your circumstances while giving you space to consider the emotional side of treatment and genetic decision-making.
If you’re considering PGT in Dubai, book a consultation with our fertility specialist to discuss your options and create a treatment plan suited to your needs.
Medical note: PGT is a specialised fertility and genetic-testing decision. Individual suitability, interpretation of results and treatment choices should be discussed with your fertility and genetics specialists.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is PGT done before or after IVF?
PGT is performed after embryos have been created through IVF. Embryos are developed in the laboratory, biopsied at the appropriate stage and genetically analysed before an embryo is selected for transfer.
Is PGT the same as genetic testing during pregnancy?
No. PGT tests embryos before transfer, while prenatal screening or diagnostic testing is performed during pregnancy. PGT does not replace appropriate prenatal care.
Can PGT guarantee a healthy baby?
No. PGT can detect specific genetic or chromosomal findings, depending on the type of test, but it cannot guarantee pregnancy, a live birth, or the absence of every possible health condition
Is PGT-A suitable for everyone doing IVF?
No. PGT-A is not automatically necessary for every IVF patient. Its potential benefits and limitations should be assessed according to your age, reproductive history, embryo situation and treatment goals
What happens if all embryos are unsuitable after PGT?
If no embryo is considered suitable for transfer, your fertility specialist will discuss the available options based on your individual circumstances. This may involve reviewing the IVF cycle, considering another treatment cycle, or discussing other reproductive options.
