The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) said Wednesday that it approved 58 out of 72 applications in 2023 for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) — a laboratory procedure that aims to reduce the risk of passing down serious genetic diseases to offspring.
The announcement marks the first public release of screening statistics since 2022, when the scope of the procedure was expanded to include diseases that manifest in adulthood, such as retinoblastoma, which were previously not covered. The number of applications for such screenings averaged 24 annually between 2016 and 2021.
PGD is used to detect genetic or chromosomal abnormalities in embryos created via in vitro fertilization. The procedure involves removing a portion of the embryo and screening it for abnormalities. If abnormalities are found, the embryos can be discarded, while those without any abnormalities can be implanted back into the uterus.
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