Biopsy timing question

[sprite]

Hi Dr Potter and Lori. I have wanted to ask a question for a while but you had to be a gold member and it was broken on the other site so I could never ask.

I have lurked a lot in the past and learned a lot reading but I still have some questions.

It seems that most of the embryos are abnormal no matter hold old one is. My question is about the biopsy and timing. If the cellls are constantly changing and chromosomes are multiplying, how does the embryologist time the biopsy?

If the cell is about to split, wouldn't it look like there are abnormalities at that point if you grabbed that cell?

I don't know the science of it all so I may just not understand how it works! Thanks!

[Hopingandpraying]

I have been wondering the same thing since I got my PGD results back. Good question!

[Dr. Potter]

When cells are dividing, the chromosomes decondense and the nucleus is not visible. We only send cells for analysis that have a nucleus visualized.

[nuthinbutpink]

Just so I understand, so if you have a cell come back with no nucleus, is it possible that the cell was just diving and may be normal? Is that one you would re-biopsy on day 5 with GSN?

[Hopingandpraying]

Good question NBP. I had 5 embryos come back with no nuclei.

[praying for a miracle]

Good question NBP. I hope we get any feedback soon on this.

[nuthinbutpink]

Dr Potter and Lori are on vacation- most REs are over the holidays. I expect them back after the weekend. Kind of bad timing with the site launch but they will be here on a regular basis- Lori just emailed me last night.

[Dr. Potter]

Just so I understand, so if you have a cell come back with no nucleus, is it possible that the cell was just diving and may be normal? Is that one you would re-biopsy on day 5 with GSN?

Yes. When there is 'no nucleous' it means basically 'no result'. This indicates that either the amplification of the DNA failed or that the cell did not contain any DNA. Either way it is the equivalent to not having any results at all. The majority of the embryos where there is a 'no result' do not continue to divide and so are not candidates for re-biopsy on day 5. This is because the 'no results' is often indicative of disordered cell division. In cases where 'no results' embryos keep dividing and make it to the blastocyst stage, re-biopsy can be performed.