Published: August 8, 2025
Semmelweis University has taken a groundbreaking step in reproductive healthcare by becoming the first medical university in Hungary to offer state-of-the-art preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment. This innovative diagnostic approach allows for the early detection and prevention of severe hereditary diseases, ensuring a higher chance of healthy childbirth.
The PGD procedures are carried out by the university’s newly formed Prenatal and Preimplantation Genetics Working Group, which includes specialists from the Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory of the Department of Internal Medicine and Oncology, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the Assisted Reproduction Center (ARC).
Each year, around 150 couples in Hungary require preimplantation genetic testing in connection with assisted reproductive treatments. Through this method, 5–10 cells are safely removed from five-day-old embryos created via IVF, and are tested using advanced molecular genetics to ensure only embryos without identified genetic disorders are implanted.
Dr Artúr Beke, Dr Péter Lakatos, and Dr Miklós Sipos—key experts involved in the program—emphasized the significance of PGD in helping couples affected by genetic disorders, repeated miscarriages, or previous failed IVF attempts. Though the method currently requires out-of-pocket payment, its diagnostic accuracy stands at 97–98 percent and may benefit not only current patients but also future generations.
Three types of PGD are available: PGT-M for single-gene disorders, PGT-SR for chromosomal rearrangements, and PGT-A for detecting abnormal chromosome numbers (though the latter is not currently permitted in Hungary). Testing methods like array CGH/CMA also enable detection of complex chromosomal issues, including mosaicism.
The university’s working group has successfully performed a dozen PGD procedures so far, offering new hope to families once hesitant to have children due to genetic concerns. Experts note that all pregnancies achieved through PGD should still undergo standard prenatal screening.
Source: Semmelweis University
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