How Many Cells Should Be Biopsied? - Perspectives From Embryologist and Genetic Testing Lab

Abstract

The biopsy process for PGT-A involves picking up a few cells from the outer layer of the embryo trophectoderm, when the embryo has developed into blastocyst stage. The biopsy procedure of PGT-A has been refined over years, but it could potentially have a slight impact on embryo implantation. Theoretically, removal of a few cells from the outer layer of the embryo might disrupt its natural processes to some extent. Besides, a few research results indicated that the number of biopsied cells may have slight influence on the clinical outcomes of PGT-A. Meanwhile, others show no significant differences in implantation rate between biopsied and non-biopsied groups. Therefore, in this presentation, we will discuss which is the appropriate number of cells to pick up for PGT-A, and share the clinical statistical results of the number of cells we have biopsied in our center.