Assisted reproductive technology (ART)

Assisted reproductive technology (ART ) is where conception is aided by the use of medical technology such as preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) or in-vitro fertilisation (IVF)

Why is assisted conception needed for PGD ?

Usually each month, an egg develops in one of the ovaries in a small sac of fluid called a follicle. The egg is released from the ovary and passes down one of the fallopian tubes, which are attached to the uterus. For a pregnancy to occur, sperm, which has been deposited in the vagina during intercourse, has to swim towards the egg in the fallopian tube. This is where fertilisation normally occurs.

The fertilised egg begins to divide as it travels through the fallopian tube towards the uterus. After about five days, the fertilised egg (embryo) hatches out of its outer coating (zona pellucida) and buries itself in the thick lining of the uterus where it begins to grow (the process of implantation). Rarely, an embryo implants in the fallopian tube. This is called an ectopic pregnancy.

We know that a number of your embryos are likely to be affected by the altered gene or chromosome abnormality. Therefore, we need to create a large number of embryos for the best chances of success in a PGD cycle. It is important that we start by obtaining a good number of eggs from a woman. This means that we artificially take control and alter a normal menstrual cycle.