Losing a child before it is carried to full term is a devastating loss, especially when you are trying to start your family. Many miscarriages can be attributed to aneuploidy, missing or additional chromosomes, which prevent the embryo from implanting on the uterine wall. Testing for such anomalies may help.
Preimplantation genetic screening, or PGS, is a common treatment for women with a history of miscarriage. PGS is also known as aneuploidy screening. PGS is still considered experimental by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, although it has been proven to increase the chances of having a successful pregnancy.
It is difficult to determine the cause of some miscarriages, but PGS testing can rule out aneuploidy and ensure that the embryo implanted in the uterus is healthy. Sometimes genetic disorders can be inherited and cause distress for parents who are unsure whether their child will inherit the disorder. For these couples, a preimplantation genetic diagnosis may be recommended.
