Reproductive Genetics

What is reproductive genetics?

Reproductive genetics offers prospective parents a valuable insight into the genetic health of their unborn child. Information can now be derived as early as a few days after conception of an IVF pregnancy, before an embryo is transferred to the womb.

This knowledge can then provide the necessary reassurance or present an opportunity to make an informed decision at an early stage.

Being faced with such personal decisions brings a unique set of challenges. Having a specialist who understands genetic disorders and can offer support and sound medical advice from the outset is an important first step for any couple embarking on this journey.

Further Information

The improvement in the success of IVF, together with advances in genetic technology, has transformed pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) from frontier bioscience to an everyday reality.
Prior to PGD, invasive genetic testing in an established pregnancy was the only means to determine if an unborn child would inherit a genetic disorder. When a diagnosis is made during the pregnancy, the choices presented to prospective parents by this information may be challenging and confronting.

With PGD, testing takes place before the embryo has been transferred to the womb. This means an informed decision can be made before implantation has even taken place and prospective parents can begin their pregnancy with the knowledge that the embryo has already been screened for a possible inherited genetic disorder.

Thousands of healthy babies have been born worldwide following PGD, with Australia being a world leader in PGD.