[Preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Technical and ethical aspects and international experiences]

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is now an established treatment for infertility, and therefore preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has become an attractive diagnostic possibility on embryos at risk of having serious genetic and chromosomal abnormalities. PGD enables screening of certain genetic and chromosomal abnormalities before a pregnancy is established. In Denmark, The Minister of Health has in a recently proposed law on assisted reproduction recommended the implementation of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis on pre-embryos at risk of having serious genetic disorders. The aim of this review is to summarize international experience with the method and discuss its advantages and disadvantages. We conclude, that it is too early to implement the method as a routine clinical diagnostic analysis in Denmark, and that further research on the reliability of the method, the economy as well as other alternatives is recommended.