IVF: Embryos discarded as ‘abnormal’ can actually become healthy babies

By Alice Klein

Embryos that are often discarded by IVF clinics because they contain some seemingly abnormal cells are just as likely to develop into healthy babies as embryos with no chromosomal abnormalities, two new studies show.

The finding means that many people trying to conceive with IVF will have more embryos to choose from and can worry less about using slightly abnormal ones.

To select the most viable embryos for implantation, IVF clinics visually assess their shape and structure and often do genetic tests as well. This pre-implantation …