Effect of accessibility of a genetic counselor on uptake of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT‐A) and carrier screening for patients undergoing in vitro fertilization

• Published in: Journal of genetic counseling Vol. 32; no. 4; pp. 906 - 915
• Main Authors: Singh, Prapti, Martin, Caitlin E., Jamro‐Comer, Erica, Andrews, Marisa V., Almgren‐Bell, Alison, Riley, Joan, Jimenez, Patricia T.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.08.2023
• Subjects: Access; Aneuploidy; carrier screening; Carriers; Cohort analysis; Counselors; Embryo Transfer - methods; Endocrinology; Female; Fertilization in Vitro; Genetic counseling; genetic counselors; Genetic screening; Genetic testing; Genetic Testing - methods; Hiring; Humans; In vitro fertilization; Infertility; Medical screening; Physicians; Pregnancy; Preimplantation Diagnosis - psychology; preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT‐A); Retrospective Studies; Statistical significance; Uptake; genetic counseling; preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A); carrier screening; genetic counselors
• ISSN: 1059-7700; 1573-3599
• DOI: 10.1002/jgc4.1701

This retrospective cohort study assessed the accessibility of a genetic counselor on uptake of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT‐A) and carrier screening in a single academic Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (REI) clinic. A total of 420 patients were evaluated with 219 patients counseled by a REI physician only and 201 patients after the addition of a genetic counselor (GC) to the REI clinic team. Cycles initiated before hiring of a GC (pre‐GC) were assessed from June 2018 to December 2018 and after integration of a GC (post‐GC) from March 2019 to August 2019. Additionally, information regarding carrier screening was collected if available in the medical record. Results showed more patients utilized PGT‐A post‐GC (9.5% vs. 5.5%), although the difference between groups did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.12). Individuals who were screened post‐GC or who started screening pre‐GC and continued screening post‐GC were screened for a larger number of conditions than if they were only screened pre‐GC (median pre‐GC = 3, post‐GC = 27, pre‐ and post‐GC = 274; p < 0.0001). The change in practice from using physician‐only counseling to counseling with accessibility to a GC did not change the utilization of PGT‐A in a single clinic.