Dr. Steven Palter is reporting that at the latest meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, clinicians from Kenigsberg Reprogenetics in Livingston, NJ and Long Island IVF, in Melville, New York have presented results of a quick screening test that detects chromosomal aneuploidy (an abnormal number of chromosomes) in pre-implantation embryos. The chip technology from BlueGnome of Cambridge, UK is fast enough to be applicable for IVF procedures, and is apparently already being marketed to fertility clinics.
From Dr Palter’s docinthemachine:
The new research presented: 6/55 tested embryos did not yield results (10.9%). 59% were
abnormal One embryo classified by the new methods as normal had a trisomy 22 by FISH ( 5% false negative rate). 2 teed abnortmal were normal by FISH ( 7% false positive rate). The total error rate for full chromosome abnormalities was (6%). Overall aCGH seems to detect about 20% more abnormal embryos than FISH with a 6% error for full chromosome abnormalities.
Conclusions: this is a major technological step towards a more accurate and usable genetic method of testing embryos to improve pregnancy rates and reduce miscarriage rates. While some still feel that the test is too early to be reliable it is being introduced clinically and centers are beginning to use it. It is one of the only methods to test all chromosomes in an embryo and be able to put them back in the same cycle. As the technology improves the 6% error rate will decrease. More importantly the very wrapped up turnaround which is now less than 12 hours should allow the testing of multiple cells and allow a more accurate confirmation of the embryos true genetic nature. Techniques like this, we hope will be able to begin to identify healthy embryos and transform the practice of fertility treatment through technology.
Read on at docinthemachine…
Abstract: VALIDATION OF MICROARRAY CGH FOR PGD BY FISH REANALYSIS…
Product page: 24sure …