All you wanted to know about legality & scope of Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Techniques (PGD) in India?
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a reproductive technology used with an IVF cycle.PGD can be used for diagnosis of a genetic disease in early embryos prior to implantation and pregnancy.In addition, this technology is utilized in the field of assisted reproduction & surrogacy for aneuploidy screening and diagnosis of unbalanced inheritance of chromosome abnormalities, such as translocations or inversions.
Generally individuals falling in any of the categories below can use PGD.
However every country including India has special rules for PGD.They are discussed in detail in this article.
FOR WHOM PGD IS USEFUL GENERALLY?
Are you a woman over 35?
Have you experienced several miscarriages?
Have you had a prior pregnancy with a chromosome abnormality?
Have you experienced several failed IVF cycles?
Has conceiving been difficult due to a low sperm count?
Do you or your partner carry a balanced structural chromosome rearrangement?
Do you or your partner have an autosomal dominant genetic disease such as Marfan syndrome?
Do you have a family history of Huntington disease?
Do you or your partner carry a recessive genetic disease such as cystic fibrosis?
Do you or your partner carry an X-linked genetic disease such as hemophilia or Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy?
Do you want to balance the gender in your family?
LEGAL STATUS OF PGD IN INDIA
PGD is legal in India.
As per the India law the following conditions need to be satisfied for doing PGD and the same can only be done by registered clinic/lab (You can ask us for doctors who are permitted to do this).
WHAT ALL IS COVERED IN PGD IN INDIA?
No pre-natal diagnostic techniques shall be conducted except for the purposes of detection of
any of the following abnormalities, namely:—
(i) chromosomal abnormalities;
(ii) genetic metabolic diseases;
(iii) haemoglobinopathies;
(iv) sex-linked genetic diseases;
(v) congenital anomalies;
(vi) any other abnormalities or diseases as may be specified by the Central Supervisory Board;
WHO IS ALLOWED TO USE PGD?
(i) age of the pregnant woman is above thirty-five years;
(ii) the pregnant woman has undergone of two or more spontaneous abortions or foetal loss;
(iii) the pregnant woman had been exposed to potentially teratogenic agents such as drugs, radiation, infection or chemicals;
(iv) the pregnant woman or her spouse has a family history of mental retardation or physical deformities such as, spasticity or any other genetic disease;
(v) any other condition as may be specified by the Central Supervisory Board;
WHAT THE DOCTOR SHOULD KEEP IN MIND WHILE DOING PGD?
No pre-natal diagnostic techniques shall be used or conducted unless the person qualified to do so is satisfied for reasons to be recorded in writing that any of the following conditions mentioned above are fulfilled.
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF PGD?
Success rates for having a child from an IVF cycle followed by PGD vary from IVF centre to centre but tend to follow standard IVF success rates.Therefore a pregnancy and an unaffected child cannot be guaranteed using this technique.It is important for an IVF unit to have a high pregnancy rate to be able to offer reliable preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) with a real chance of achieving pregnancy.
Like any IVF procedure, stress and often disappointment can accompany PGD.Couples will need to balance the financial and emotional cost of the IVF procedure followed by PGD with that of termination of an affected child conceived naturally.For couples with a moral or religious objection to pregnancy termination and who also have a risk of having a child with a genetic condition, this technique may provide the opportunity to have an unaffected child.In others, PGD may be a preferred option over prenatal testing in a naturally conceived pregnancy.It can also eliminate the possibility of repeated miscarriages for couples where one partner carries a chromosomal translocation.
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