Evaluating embryo screening

Embryo screening tests cells from early embryos for particular genetic variants before an embryo is placed in the uterus. It is usually carried out during in vitro fertilisation (IVF), when embryos are created outside the body. The results can help people decide which embryos to transfer.

Screening can reduce the risk of a child having a particular inherited disorder by identifying embryos with a genetic variant associated with it. However, testing is not guaranteed to give a correct result, and transferring an embryo does not guarantee a pregnancy or a particular outcome.

Weighing different considerations

An informed judgement about embryo screening weighs evidence about its benefits and limitations alongside different viewpoints. The same outcome may be valued differently by different people.

• Economic: Testing and fertility treatment cost money. If healthcare services fund screening, those resources are less available for other forms of care.
• Social: Screening may help families reduce the risk of a particular inherited disorder, but access may be unequal. Selecting against embryos with certain variants may also contribute to stigma towards people living with those genetic conditions.
• Ethical: Screening can give prospective parents more reproductive choice. However, people hold different beliefs about creating and selecting embryos, and about storing or disposing of embryos that are not transferred.

A judgement depends partly on how much importance a person gives to each consideration. For example, someone may place greater weight on reducing the risk of an inherited disorder, while someone else may give greater weight to concerns about selecting embryos.