PGT (preimplantation genetic testing)
PGT is a family of optional tests done on IVF embryos before transfer, covering three different questions: whether an embryo has the expected number of chromosomes (PGT-A), whether it carries a specific inherited condition a parent is known to carry (PGT-M), or whether it has a structural chromosome rearrangement linked to a parent's own chromosomes (PGT-SR). The evidence for each differs: PGT-M and PGT-SR are targeted and well established for the situations they address, while PGT-A's benefit for most patients is less settled.
PGT (preimplantation genetic testing) covers a group of tests done on cells taken from an IVF embryo, usually on day 5 or 6, before it is transferred. The embryo is biopsied and frozen while the cells are analysed in a lab, so testing adds a step and usually means a frozen embryo transfer rather than a fresh one. It is not one test but three, each answering a different question.
The three types
| What it checks | Who it is for | |
|---|---|---|
| PGT-A | Whether the embryo has the expected number of chromosomes (aneuploidy screening) | Offered broadly as an optional add-on; evidence of benefit for most patients is limited |
| PGT-M | Whether the embryo carries a specific single-gene condition | Parents who are known carriers of an inherited condition, such as thalassemia or cystic fibrosis |
| PGT-SR | Whether the embryo has a balanced or normal arrangement of a chromosome rearrangement | Parents known to carry a structural chromosome rearrangement (such as a translocation) |
PGT-M and PGT-SR: targeted and well established
These two are done for a specific, known reason: a parent has already been found, through their own genetic testing, to carry a particular condition or chromosome rearrangement. The lab designs a test specific to that finding. Used this way, PGT-M and PGT-SR are established tools for avoiding passing on a known, serious condition, and are typically recommended by a clinical geneticist rather than offered as a general add-on.
PGT-A: an open question for most patients
PGT in India
PGT is done at IVF clinics registered as Level 2 on the National ART and Surrogacy Registry, since it is only offered alongside IVF. It is priced as an add-on to a cycle, commonly in the range of 40,000 to 1,00,000 rupees or more depending on how many embryos are tested and the lab used, on top of the IVF cycle cost itself. Ask for this cost in writing, separate from the base cycle price.
Questions worth asking
If a clinic recommends PGT, ask what specific type it is (A, M, or SR), why it is being recommended for your situation, what happens if no embryos are suitable for transfer afterward, and what the added cost is in full. Our questions to ask your clinic page has the wider checklist.
Related
Last updated .