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Parliamentary QA

Study of Impact of Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening on IVF Procedures

3 November 2020

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Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang
MP for Nee Soon GRC

Question No. 286

To ask the Minister for Health whether the Ministry is aware of any scientific studies which suggest that the Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening will negatively affect the success rates of embryo implantation, pregnancy, and live births for people who go through in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Written Answer

1.      Published studies on Pre-implantation Genetic Screening (PGS) have reported mixed findings, ranging from those with favourable outcomes for PGS in selected patient groups, to those that find that PGS does not improve, or may even result in lower, in-vitro fertilization success rates. For example, a 2013 randomised controlled trial (RCT) found that the sustained implantation rate and delivery rate per cycle were significantly higher in the PGS group compared to the control group. However, a 2018 RCT found that PGS did not increase live birth rates in women of advanced maternal age, while a 2011 meta-analysis of RCTs showed lower live birth and ongoing pregnancy rates in the PGS group compared to the control group.

2.      However, given the limitations of the studies (such as suboptimal recruitment), the clinical efficacy of PGS remains widely debated. More data is needed before we can conclude on the clinical efficacy of PGS.