A Review of Cost-Effectiveness of Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Aneuploidy.

Abstract

Importance: Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is an important focus area of reproductive medicine because of its potential to improve the odds of a live birth from in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

Objectives: Despite growing interest and use of this technology, there has been a limited, albeit growing, body of literature that has evaluated the cost-effectiveness of PGT-A for patients compared with IVF without PGT-A. This review aims to further explore this relationship and summarize current findings.

Evidence acquisition: Studies were selected entering terms such as "PGT-A," "IVF," and "cost-effectiveness" in the PubMed database.

Results: In some studies, PGT-A has been shown to be cost-effective in older patients and patients who have experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. In other studies, PGT-A use has shown comparable live birth rates to traditional IVF while carrying a more expensive price tag. In addition, PGT-A carries risk, including embryo damage and improper embryo classification, and has significant financial cost. Specifically with regards to cost-effectiveness, considerations such as age, reproductive timeline, and economic burden have been identified.

Conclusions: Ultimately, there is incomplete data addressing factors such as mosaicism, patient perspectives of the economic cost, and patient experiences surrounding PGT-A. Further studies are needed to fully evaluate PGT-A outcomes, patient experiences, and cost-effectiveness.

Relevance: As utilization of assisted reproductive technology continues to increase, a careful analysis of the cost-effectiveness of additional genetic screening tests is critical to patient counseling and shared decision making.