A Review of Cost-Effectiveness of Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy

Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is an important focus area of reproductive medicine because of its potential to improve the odds of a live birth from in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

Despite growing interest and use of this technology, there has been a limited, albeit growing, body of literature that has evaluated the cost-effectiveness of PGT-A for patients compared with IVF without PGT-A. This review aims to further explore this relationship and summarize current findings.

Studies were selected entering terms such as "PGT-A," "IVF," and "cost-effectiveness" in the PubMed database.

In some studies, PGT-A has been shown to be cost-effective in older patients and patients who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. In other studies, PGT-A use has shown comparable live birth rates to traditional IVF while carrying a more expensive price tag. In addition, PGT-A carries risk, including embryo damage and improper embryo classification, and has significant financial cost. Specifically with regards to cost-effectiveness, considerations such as age, reproductive timeline, and economic burden have been identified.

Ultimately, there is incomplete data addressing factors such as mosaicism, patient perspectives of the economic cost, and patient experiences surrounding PGT-A. Further studies are needed to fully evaluate PGT-A outcomes, patient experiences, and cost-effectiveness.

As utilization of assisted reproductive technology continues to increase, a careful analysis of the cost-effectiveness of additional genetic screening tests is critical to patient counseling and shared decision making.