Fertility method sparks doubts

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 1 (UPI) -- An expensive embryo screening procedure to help older women deliver healthy infants is not boosting their chances, a U.S. professional organization says.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine says an initial conclusion that pre-implantation genetic screening, or PGS, may not help older women has been borne out by several more studies, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday.

A recent Swedish trial that included more than 100 women more than 38 years old suggested embryo screening may actually hurt a woman's chances of having a baby.

The study found the pregnancy rate in a PGS group was 8.9 percent compared with 24.5 percent in a control group that didn't use PGS.

In PGS, a single cell is extracted from a six-cell embryo and inspected under a microscope for abnormalities that can trigger an early miscarriage or genetic illnesses such as Down syndrome.

The procedure can add $2,000 or more to the cost of in-vitro fertilization treatments and is rarely covered by insurance because it is considered experimental.