Preimplantational genetic diagnosis: an actual alternative with future implications

Preimplantational genetic diagnosis (PGT) isa new technique, promoted as an alternative for prenatal diagnosisand eventually for the voluntary termination of pregnancy whenthe couple is willing . Essentially, they are afraid that a geneticdisease may be transmitted to their descendents. After the assistedreproduction techniques have been applied, an embryo biopsy isconducted, extracting two of the blastomeres, which are geneticallyanalyzed. Those embryos free from genetic diseases are implantedin the mother uterus. PGT has also allowed the medical communityto study different aspects of the early embryo development andthe comprehension of reproductive genetics. However these newtechniques have given rise to many ethical questions and debatesabout the moral consequences of routinely practicing PGT.