What genetic diseases can third-generation IVF avoid?

IVF is now the third generation of technology, and each generation has its corresponding indications. For example, the first generation corresponds to female infertility, the second generation corresponds to male infertility, and the third generation corresponds to genetic diseases. So what genetic diseases can third-generation IVF avoid? In fact, the third generation test tubes cannot avoid all genetic diseases, or even a small portion of them. Let's take a closer look.

The third generation in vitro technology, also known as pre transplant genetic diagnosis technology for in vitro infants. We know that the third-generation in vitro technology can avoid nearly a hundred specific genetic diseases, and PGD is developed on the basis of the second-generation in vitro fertilization technology. This generation of technology involves extracting high-quality sperm and eggs from both male and female bodies, fertilizing them in vitro, cultivating them into embryos, and conducting genetic testing and screening of the embryos before transferring them to the female uterus, In this way, we can analyze which embryos have genetic defects and which embryos have excellent genes, thereby achieving the goal of improving the success rate of in vitro fertilization. However, third-generation in vitro technology is not omnipotent. It can only screen and detect 73 genetic diseases, including adrenal dysplasia, congenital cataracts, hemophilia, hydrocephalus, intellectual development delay, color blindness, etc. In fact, there are over 4000 genetic diseases in humans.

The third-generation in vitro technology cannot guarantee 100% fetal health. Just like natural conception, it is not 100% healthy, and third-generation technology can only guarantee the quality of the embryo before transplantation, and cannot guarantee that the fetus is still healthy after 10 months of development in the mother's uterus, as it is unknown that the fetus may still be injured in the mother's uterus. Therefore, after confirming pregnancy, pregnant women should go to the hospital for regular prenatal examinations to ensure the health of IVF babies.

The third-generation IVF technology can indeed avoid some genetic diseases, such as thalassemia, chromosomal abnormalities, congenital cataracts, hemophilia, intellectual retardation, and so on. There are about 70 types of these diseases, and we know that there are currently over 4000 types of genetic diseases that cannot be screened, but the probability of most genetic diseases occurring is almost zero, while those 73 types are relatively common, Therefore, for elderly women, doing third-generation in vitro technology is a better choice.