Preimplantation Genetic Screening: Male Factor Infertility

Preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) has been carried out for several years now to select embryos that are genetically normal for implantation into the mother's womb.

Preimplantation Genetic Screening

Parents who wish to use PGS must agree to in vitro fertilization of their gametes to produce the oocyte or embryo. Since only one or two cells of the oocyte are used, the DNA material that's available is limited. PGS is generally 85 percent accurate. It should be used in conjunction with amniocentesis to completely eliminate the chances of carrying a child with genetic disorders.

Preimplantation Genetic Screening and Male Factor Infertility

Research has shown that nearly 30 percent of infertility cases are due to a factor in the male partner. Men with gonadal failure can have as many as 27 to 74 percent abnormal spermatozoa, as compared to normal men who only have 3 to 8 percent of chromosomally abnormal sperms. This could be due to various factors such as low sperm count, poor motility of the sperm or poor morphology of the sperm.

Advantages of PGS

Male factor infertility can cause genetic abnormalities such as Robertsonian translocations, androgen receptor mutations and Y chromosome microdeletions. Male factor infertility can cause failed pregnancies or produce children with genetic defects. The use of PGS can help increase chances of successful pregnancies and decrease the rates of development of children with genetic defects. However, such couples will have lower rates of conception, because there are fewer numbers of normal embryos available for implantation into the mother's womb.

With the availability of newer technologies such as PGS, male partners with male factor infertility have increased chances of producing normal children with their partners.

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