PGT-A Testing in India: Cost, Accuracy, and Who Actually Needs It

Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy, commonly called PGT-A, is an advanced laboratory test used during IVF to examine embryos for abnormalities in chromosome number before embryo transfer.

For couples researching embryo genetic testing in India, one of the biggest questions is whether PGT-A is actually necessary. Another is the PGT-A testing cost in India, which can add a significant amount to an already expensive IVF cycle.

PGT-A can help identify embryos that appear chromosomally euploid, meaning they have the expected chromosome number. However, it is important to understand that PGT-A is a screening test, not a guarantee of pregnancy or a healthy baby.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) states that routine PGT-A for every IVF patient has not been demonstrated to improve outcomes and cannot currently be recommended as a universal screening test. Recent randomized trials have found similar overall pregnancy outcomes in some groups undergoing frozen embryo transfer with PGT-A compared with conventional embryo selection.

So, who might actually benefit from PGT-A? And how much should patients expect to pay in India?

Let's break it down.

What Is PGT-A?

PGT-A stands for Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy.

During IVF, embryos are created in the laboratory. Usually, embryos that develop to the blastocyst stage can undergo a biopsy in which a small number of cells are removed from the outer layer of the embryo.

The cells are then analyzed, commonly using technologies such as next-generation sequencing (NGS), to look for chromosome-number abnormalities.

A typical human embryo has 23 pairs of chromosomes, or 46 chromosomes in total.