Patterns of Preimplantation Genetic Testing Utilization During In Vitro Fertilization in a Nigerian Fertility Centre:...

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is increasingly integrated into in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to detect chromosomal abnormalities and monogenic disorders before embryo transfer. Although its use is primarily intended to prevent genetic disease and improve reproductive outcomes, PGT is also applied for non-medical indications such as elective sex selection in some settings. The objective of this study is to characterize the sociodemographic profile of couples undergoing PGT, the clinical indications for testing, and patterns of maternal and paternal age, parity, and geographic distribution in a Nigerian fertility centre.

A Retrospective study conducted at a tertiary fertility and preimplantation genetic testing centre in Lagos, Nigeria, between January 2018 and December 2024 was reviewed. Sociodemographic characteristics, reproductive history, type of PGT performed (PGT-A, PGT-M, or combined), and clinical indications for testing were extracted from anonymized medical records. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and indications for PGT.

The mean maternal age was 39.7 ± 6.1 years, while the mean paternal age was 46.3 ± 6.9 years. Most women had parity 2-3 (51.6%), and 86.3% had 1-4 living children. Participants resided predominantly in Nigeria (61.5%), with a substantial proportion from the United Kingdom (17.3%) and Canada (8.8%), reflecting cross-border utilization of fertility services. The most common indication for PGT was elective sex selection/family balancing (89.7%). Among clinical indications, PGT-M for haemoglobin S (HBS) genotype screening accounted for 5.4%. A small proportion of cycles involved combined PGT-A/PGT-M, mainly for women with previous children with oculocutaneous albinism (1.0%, n = 4) and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (0.5%, n = 2) and severe male-factor infertility (0.5%).

In this cohort of Nigerian couples undergoing IVF with PGT, elective sex selection was the predominant indication, highlighting the influence of sociocultural factors on the use of reproductive genetic technologies.