A Comprehensive Guide to IVF Genetic Testing Near Reston, VA
If you are planning an IVF cycle, you have probably heard the phrase "genetic testing" more than once. IVF genetic testing near Reston, VA helps your care team get a clearer look at your embryos before transfer.
Pre-implantation genetic testing does not guarantee a successful pregnancy. Think of it as an extra layer of insight before one of the biggest decisions of your fertility journey.
What Is IVF Genetic Testing?
In vitro fertilization, or IVF, is the process of fertilizing eggs outside the body in a lab. Genetic testing examines those embryos at the chromosomal level before they are placed in the uterus.
The goal is to spot issues that could prevent an embryo from implanting or developing. Results help your team choose the embryos most likely to lead to a healthy pregnancy.
Not every patient needs it, and not every form applies to every situation. Your specialist will review your history and explain what makes sense for you.
Who Should Consider IVF Genetic Testing Near Reston, VA?
Preimplantation genetic testing, or PGT, is not standard for every IVF patient. It tends to come up when something in a patient's history makes the extra information especially useful.
Good candidates include patients over 35 and those who have had multiple miscarriages. People with repeated failed IVF cycles or a known inherited condition are also strong candidates for genetic testing.
Many people find out they carry a genetic condition for the first time during a fertility workup. Conditions like cystic fibrosis can be carried silently, with zero symptoms.
How the Biopsy Process Works
Every form of PGT starts with an embryo biopsy. A small number of cells are removed from the outer layer of each blastocyst, which is an embryo at day five, six, or seven of development.
The inner portion that grows into the baby is never touched. When done by an experienced embryologist, the risk of harm to the embryo is very low.
After the biopsy, embryos are frozen while results come back from the lab. Transfer happens in a later cycle once the genetic report is ready.
IVF Genetic Testing Near Reston, VA
Patients pursuing IVF genetic testing near Reston, VA, typically undergo one of three forms. Those are PGT-A, PGT-M, and PGT-SR, each targeting a different type of genetic concern.
Think of them as three different tools in the same toolbox. Your doctor will recommend the one, or combination, that fits your specific situation.
Each form involves the same biopsy process but looks for something entirely different in the lab. Understanding what each one does helps you ask the right questions at your consultation.
PGT-A: Chromosome Counting
Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy, or PGT-A, checks whether each embryo has the correct number of chromosomes. Humans need exactly 46, arranged in 23 pairs.
An embryo with too many or too few chromosomes is called aneuploid. This is one of the most common causes of failed implantation, early miscarriage, and conditions like Down syndrome.
PGT-M: Testing for Inherited Conditions
Pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic disorders, or PGT-M, is used when one or both partners carry a known inherited mutation. Think of conditions like Huntington's disease, sickle cell disease, Tay-Sachs, and BRCA-linked cancer syndromes.
The lab builds a custom probe for that specific mutation before the cycle begins. This preparation typically adds a few weeks to the overall timeline.
PGT-M reduces the risk of passing that condition to a child. It does not screen for every possible genetic variant, only the one it was built to find.
PGT-SR: Chromosome Structure Testing
Pre-implantation genetic testing for structural rearrangements, or PGT-SR, is for patients who carry a chromosomal translocation or inversion. These patients often have no health issues of their own.
Their embryos, however, face a higher risk of inheriting unbalanced chromosomal material. That raises the chances of miscarriage or developmental differences.
How to Read Your Results
Once results come back, your specialist will walk you through what each embryo's report means. Embryos identified as chromosomally normal are called euploid and are generally first in line for transfer.
Embryos flagged as abnormal are typically set aside. Some results may come back as mosaic, meaning a mix of normal and abnormal cells, which your doctor will discuss with you individually.
Results do not always make the decision simple or easy. Your care team is there to help you weigh every option with the full picture in front of you.
Can Both Partners Be Tested?
Genetic testing in IVF focuses on the embryos themselves, not the eggs or sperm in isolation. However, both partners can and should complete carrier screening before deciding on a testing protocol.
Carrier screening is a separate blood or saliva test that checks whether you carry gene variants linked to inherited conditions. It is often one of the first steps a fertility specialist recommends before any IVF cycle begins.
If both partners carry the same recessive condition, the risk of passing it to a child increases significantly. Knowing this early helps your team recommend the right form of PGT from the start.
What Genetic Testing Cannot Do
IVF genetic testing is a powerful tool, but it has real limits worth knowing. Some conditions arise spontaneously and cannot be predicted through any form of preimplantation screening.
Standard prenatal monitoring still matters even after a transfer that followed genetic testing. PGT improves the odds, but it does not remove all risk.
Talk to Annandale Fertility About Your Options, Call Today for Your Appointment
Annandale Fertility offers comprehensive genetic testing as part of a personalized IVF plan and genetic testing built around your goals. Our team will explain exactly which testing option makes sense for your history.
Call 703-462-8665 to speak with an experienced member of our team or you can now request an appointment online and start your IVG genetic testing near Reston, Virginia.