Ethics and the regulation of preimplantation diagnosis in Germany

Abstract

"Research towards preimplantation diagnosis (PID) of genetic diseases is done considering the aim of helping those couples who would prefer selection to occur at this stage rather than during pregnancy. Following in-vitro-fertilization (IVF), biopsy and removal of one or two cells from the early "pre-embryo" provides the material for molecular genetic diagnosis without interfering the development of the embryo. If the diagnosis is positive for a hereditary disease the embryo will be rejected, otherwise the embryo will be transferred to the uterus of the mother. After the embryo is preimplanted, the pregnancy of the mother will start with a similar success rate to usual embryo transfer. PID has been already successful for hereditary diseases like cystic fibrosis, Tay Sachs disease and Lesch-Nyhan syndrome."