PGT-A — genetic testing of embryos for the wrong number of chromosomes — is widely offered in India at about ₹25,000–40,000 per embryo tested. For international patients the price is only half the story: because results take time, tested embryos are almost always frozen, which usually turns one trip into two. It can be useful for some people and adds little for others, so the right question to bring to your doctor is not “should I have it?” but “what would it change for me?”
Key points
- PGT-A tests a few cells from each blastocyst for an abnormal number of chromosomes.
- It helps choose which embryo to transfer; it does not improve the embryos themselves.
- It typically costs ₹25,000–40,000 per embryo tested, in addition to the IVF cycle.
- Tested embryos are frozen, so international patients usually make two trips.
- Sex selection is a criminal offence in India, and PGT cannot be used for it.
What PGT-A is
PGT-A stands for pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy. “Aneuploidy” means an embryo has too many or too few chromosomes. Most aneuploid embryos do not implant, or end in early miscarriage, and the proportion of embryos that are aneuploid generally rises with the age of the woman whose eggs were used.
How it works in practice:
- Embryos are grown in the lab to the blastocyst stage, usually day 5 or 6.
- An embryologist removes a few cells from the outer layer (the part that becomes the placenta).
- The embryo is frozen; the cells are sent for genetic analysis.
- Results come back as euploid (normal chromosome count), aneuploid, or sometimes mosaic or inconclusive.
- A euploid embryo is later thawed and transferred in a frozen embryo transfer.
PGT-A is different from PGT-M (testing for a specific inherited condition that runs in a family) and PGT-SR (for a known chromosome rearrangement in a parent). If you carry a known genetic condition, ask about those specifically — they are a separate conversation, often involving a genetic counsellor.
When it may help, and when it may not
The mainstream view among fertility specialists is roughly this, and your doctor will interpret it for you:
Situations where it is often discussed
- Older age of the egg provider, where a higher share of embryos is expected to be aneuploid
- Recurrent miscarriage, alongside other investigations
- Several embryos available, where choosing which to transfer first matters
- Wanting to reduce the number of transfers that are unlikely to work — which, for someone flying in, can mean fewer wasted trips
Reasons for caution
- It does not make an embryo healthier. It selects among the embryos you already have. It is generally not thought to increase the overall chance of a baby from a single egg collection for everyone; its benefit is more about which embryo to transfer and when.
- Few embryos, little to choose from. If you are likely to have only one or two blastocysts, testing may not change what you do, while adding cost and a second trip.
- Results are not perfect. A few cells may not represent the whole embryo. Mosaic and inconclusive results happen, and there is a risk that an embryo which could have developed normally is labelled abnormal and not used.
- Biopsy needs blastocysts. Embryos that do not reach day 5–6 cannot be tested, so the number you pay to test may be lower than the number of eggs retrieved.
Our IVF cost guide makes the same point: if a clinic recommends PGT-A for a young patient with good reserve and no history of loss, it is reasonable to ask why.
Costs and how they add up
PGT-A is charged per embryo tested, typically ₹25,000–40,000 each — roughly ≈ $260–420 · £200–310 · AED 960–1,550 per embryo. Because it is per embryo, the total depends on how many blastocysts you have:
| Blastocysts tested | PGT-A at ₹25,000–40,000 each |
|---|---|
| 2 | ₹50,000 – ₹80,000 |
| 4 | ₹1,00,000 – ₹1,60,000 |
| 6 | ₹1,50,000 – ₹2,40,000 |
On top of the IVF cycle itself, PGT-A usually brings:
- Embryo freezing and storage — freezing plus the first year's storage is typically ₹20,000–40,000 (usually bundled), then ₹15,000–30,000 per year from year two.
- A frozen embryo transfer at ₹60,000–1,20,000, because a fresh transfer is not usually possible while waiting for results.
- A second trip — flights, accommodation and time off, which for long-haul travellers may be the largest extra cost of all.
Some clinics include a biopsy fee separately from the lab fee; some quote a package for a set number of embryos. Ask for the price per embryo, whether biopsy and freezing are included, and what you pay if fewer embryos than expected reach the blastocyst stage. See comparing IVF quotes.
The freeze-all implication: planning two trips
With PGT-A, the realistic plan for someone living abroad is:
- Trip 1 — stimulation and egg retrieval. Typically 2–3 weeks in India: around 10–12 days of stimulation, retrieval about 36 hours after the trigger, and embryos grown to day 5–6 for biopsy. You can often fly home once retrieval recovery allows; you do not need to wait for the biopsy in person.
- At home — results. The clinic shares the report, ideally with a video call to explain it. Ask for the written report itself, not just a summary.
- Trip 2 — frozen embryo transfer. Usually about a week in India, with uterine lining preparation that can often be monitored at home. See planning a frozen embryo transfer trip.
Many patients from abroad find that two shorter trips are easier to fit around work than one long one — but it is still two sets of flights and leave. Our two-trip IVF plan and timing your IVF trip guides go into scheduling. If all embryos come back aneuploid, the second trip may be a consultation instead of a transfer, so agree in advance how that conversation will happen — a video call is usually enough.
If you decide against PGT-A
Declining PGT-A is a common and reasonable choice for many patients. Without testing, embryologists usually select which embryo to transfer based on how it has developed and its appearance, and many clinics transfer one embryo at a time. For international patients, this can mean a fresh transfer during the first trip, with any remaining embryos frozen for later transfers. If a transfer does not succeed, the next frozen embryo can be used in a shorter trip. Some couples reconsider testing in a later cycle, for example after a miscarriage; your doctor will advise whether that would change the approach.
Sex selection is prohibited under the PCPNDT Act
Chromosome testing can technically reveal the sex chromosomes of an embryo. In India, sex selection is a criminal offence under the PCPNDT Act, and PGT cannot be used for it. Clinics must not disclose the sex of an embryo or let you choose embryos by sex. This applies to foreign nationals exactly as it does to Indian citizens. Any clinic or middleman hinting otherwise is breaking the law; do not proceed with them, and see our red flags guide.
Questions to ask about the lab
The quality of the embryology lab and the testing lab matters as much as the decision to test. Useful questions for the clinic:
- Is the testing done in-house or sent to an external genetics lab? Which method does it use?
- Who performs the biopsy, and how many do they do?
- How are mosaic and inconclusive results reported, and would you ever transfer a mosaic embryo?
- What is your policy if a result is inconclusive — re-biopsy, or transfer untested?
- How long do results usually take?
- For someone with my age and test results, how many blastocysts would you typically expect?
- Will a doctor or genetic counsellor explain the report to me, and can I have a full copy?
- What happens to embryos reported as aneuploid, and what consent will I sign about that?
- Would you recommend PGT-A for me if I were not paying for it, and why?
Clear, specific answers are a good sign. Vague ones — or a sense that PGT-A is simply part of every package — are worth probing. Our guide to choosing a clinic from abroad has more on judging a lab you cannot visit first.
An illustrative plan: a couple travelling from Doha
The sequence below shows how a freeze-all cycle with PGT-A might be organised for a couple living in Qatar. It is an illustration, not a real case, and the clinic's protocol will determine the actual dates.
| Stage | Where | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Weeks before travel | Doha | Blood tests, pelvic scan and semen analysis; video consultation; written plan and quote |
| Trip 1, days 1–12 | India | Stimulation injections with scans every two to three days |
| Trip 1, days 13–15 | India | Trigger injection, egg retrieval about 36 hours later, sperm sample on the same day |
| Trip 1, final days | India, then home | Recovery and return flight once the doctor advises; embryos grown to day 5–6 and biopsied in their absence |
| Following weeks | Doha | Results shared and discussed on a video call; frozen embryo transfer planned if a euploid embryo is available |
| Next suitable cycle | Doha, then India | Lining preparation with local scans, then a trip of about a week for the transfer |
Compared with a fresh transfer during the first trip, this plan adds the testing fee (₹1–1.6 lakh if four blastocysts are tested), a frozen embryo transfer at ₹60,000–1,20,000 and a second, shorter trip. In return, the embryo transferred has tested euploid, which may reduce the chance of a transfer failing or ending in miscarriage for a chromosomal reason. Whether that balance is favourable depends on the couple's ages, the number of embryos and their history, and it is a question to discuss with the doctor before the cycle starts rather than on the day of retrieval.
Understanding the report
PGT-A reports vary between laboratories, but the result for each embryo usually falls into one of a few categories. Ask the clinic to explain its own terminology.
| Result | General meaning | Questions to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Euploid | The sample showed the expected number of chromosomes | In what order would you transfer euploid embryos, and why? |
| Aneuploid | The sample showed extra or missing chromosomes | What does your consent form say will happen to these embryos? |
| Mosaic | The sample contained a mixture of cells with different results | What is your policy on mosaic embryos, and who would counsel us? |
| No result or inconclusive | The test could not give a reliable reading | Would you re-biopsy, and what are the implications and costs? |
A euploid result does not guarantee a pregnancy, and other factors, including the uterus, still matter. Keep a copy of the full report with your other records; see your fertility records rights.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
- Agreeing to PGT-A without a stated reason. Ask the doctor to explain in writing what it is expected to change in your case.
- Budgeting for the test but not the second trip. Include flights, accommodation, leave and the frozen embryo transfer in your estimate.
- Booking the second trip before results arrive. Wait until a euploid embryo is confirmed, or use changeable tickets.
- Not asking about the testing laboratory. The way a laboratory reports mosaic and inconclusive results affects the decisions you may be asked to make.
What to agree in writing before the cycle
Because much of a PGT-A cycle happens after you have left India, it is sensible to agree the key points in writing before stimulation begins:
- The clinical reason PGT-A is being recommended, in your case
- The price per embryo, whether biopsy and freezing are included, and the maximum you could be charged
- The name of the testing laboratory and the expected time for results
- How and when results will be communicated, and whether a video consultation is included
- The clinic's policy on mosaic, inconclusive and aneuploid embryos, reflected in your consent forms
- The plan and price for the frozen embryo transfer, and storage costs: freezing plus the first year typically ₹20,000–40,000, then ₹15,000–30,000 per year
- What happens if no embryo reaches the blastocyst stage, or none is euploid
If you are not an Indian passport or OCI card holder, the clinic's letter for the e-Medical visa should reflect the planned dates for each trip; confirm current visa rules on the official site, indianvisaonline.gov.in. A written plan also makes it easier to compare clinics on the same basis, and to raise questions with your doctor at home before you commit.
Next steps
If PGT-A has been suggested, ask the clinic to explain in writing why, how many embryos they expect to test and what the two-trip plan would look like. Compare the answers across clinics on clinics for international patients. If you have had several unsuccessful transfers already, read getting a second opinion after repeated IVF failure and how to get a better second opinion.