Your first appointment with the PGD team

This appointment usually lasts about one hour.  There is a considerable amount of information to discuss at this appointment, so please arrive on time. You are likely to meet the preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) genetic counsellor and possibly one of the PGD team doctors or nurses. You will be able to ask questions and tell us how you feel that PGD could help you.

What happens at the consultation?

• a general introduction to PGD treatment;
• an explanation of how the treatment works including how we plan to test the embryos;
• the likelihood of success and the limitations of the procedure; and
• taking a general health history from both of you, including:
• • for women - questions about your menstrual cycle, previous pregnancies or pregnancy losses and sexual health.
  • for men - information on any previous pregnancies you have fathered and your sexual health.

Many of the issues are covered in our PGD booklet| (PDF 492Kb) but this will be your personal appointment and will concentrate on PGD issues that specifically relate to you.

At the end of the first visit, we are usually able to give you some idea of whether we can offer you PGD or whether there are any potential problems that may reduce the chances of PGD success from the outset. Sometimes we need to arrange additional investigations before we can move forward with treatment.

Will I need any tests or investigations?

Clinical procedures like scans or examinations are not usually carried out during this appointment, although occasionally blood tests are needed.  These are usually only done at this stage if we have any medical concerns about how effective or safe the treatment will be for you.

After the first appointment

After the appointment you will be sent a letter summarising our discussions. If you decide that you would like to continue, then we ask you to contact us to let us know that you wish to proceed with the next stage of preparation for PGD.