My Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS) Results (UPDATED)

As a follow-up to my post called “Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS): Why You Should Do It,” I decided to publish the results of my two PGS tests. I hope the information is useful to anyone who wishes to compare her results or get a better idea of how maternal age may affect the quality of embryos.

IVF Milestone: Egg Retrieval

Egg retrieval is one of the key phases of in vitro fertilization (IVF). After multiple follicles in the ovaries have matured sufficiently (i.e., have reached at least 15 mm in diameter), your doctor will instruct you on when to have the ovulation trigger shot. (The timing needs to be precise.) The egg retrieval takes place about 35 hours after this shot.

How Many Embryos Should One Transfer: The IVF Dilemma

It is common knowledge that assisted reproduction methods, such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilization (IVF), when successful, often result in multiple pregnancy. Some wonna-be-moms, in fact, want to have twins or triplets, especially those who have tried to conceive for a long time—after all, having more than one baby at the same time seems to compensate for the many months or years lost in waiting. Doctors, however, frown at such possibilities. The optimal outcome of an assisted reproduction, they say, is a singleton pregnancy.

Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS):

Why You Should Do It

Many factors can sabotage the success of infertility treatments, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). A woman might respond poorly to ovarian stimulation, develop eggs that fail to fertilize, or produce embryos that are chromosomally abnormal. Her uterine lining might not be thick enough to support implantation, or there might be some other cause of failed implantation, such as damage to oocyte/embryo during unfreezing or transfer. The egg retrieval and embryo transfer procedure too can fail—sometimes due to the doctor’s lack of experience but more often due to uterine contractility. Of all of these factors, however, chromosomal abnormality is the one that controls the success of the majority of cases.

IVF Cost

The first thought that comes to mind when most people consider in vitro fertilization (IVF) is not about its complexity or even its success rate. It’s about cost. Undeniably, IVF costs significantly more per attempt than alternative approaches such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) or a Clomid cycle with timed intercourse. However, although it may seem like a good idea to keep expenses low, one needs to consider the cumulative cost of having to repeat a low-cost procedure multiple times due to its lower success rates compared with IVF. (See my post “IUI vs. IVF: Cost Factor Revisited.”)