Which Hospitals in Hong Kong Can Perform PGT Screening? Hospital Selection and Procedure Reference

AI Summary

Opening: Direct Answer

PGT screening (Preimplantation Genetic Testing) is available at several hospitals and reproductive medicine centers in Hong Kong. As of 2025, institutions offering PGT services mainly include Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Union Hospital, CUHK Medical Centre, Queen Mary Hospital, and some private reproductive medicine centers. There are significant differences among institutions in terms of testing type coverage, technology platform selection, and genetic counseling capabilities. Selection requires a comprehensive evaluation based on the specific case's genetic background, chromosomal situation, and the hospital's technical qualifications.

Module A: Direct Answer to the Question

Hospitals in Hong Kong Offering PGT Screening

The following are the main hospitals and institutions in Hong Kong that can perform PGT screening. Each institution has its own characteristics in service scope, testing technology, and team configuration.

Hospital/Institution	Service Features	PGT Types Covered
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital	Has a Reproductive Medicine Centre with an embryology laboratory and genetic counseling team, closely collaborating with third-party genetics laboratories. Mature case management process.	PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR
Union Hospital	The Reproductive Medicine Centre has an independent embryology laboratory, offering one-stop IVF and PGT services. Genetic counseling requires a specialist clinic appointment.	PGT-A, PGT-M
CUHK Medical Centre	Leveraging the genetics and genomics team of the CUHK Faculty of Medicine, it has academic advantages in single-gene disease testing and strong genetic counseling capabilities.	PGT-A, PGT-M, PGT-SR
Queen Mary Hospital (HKU)	Public hospital with longer waiting times, requiring a doctor's referral. Supported by HKU's genetics team, suitable for patients meeting public service indications.	PGT-A, PGT-M (limited indications)
Hong Kong Reproductive Medicine Centre (Private)	Located in Central, focuses on assisted reproductive services, collaborates with overseas genetics laboratories, offering relatively flexible testing cycles.	PGT-A, PGT-M
Precious Medical	Provides reproductive medicine and genetic counseling. PGT services require collaboration with designated laboratories, suitable for cases with clear genetic disease indications.	PGT-A, PGT-M

The above information is based on publicly available industry data and hospital service overviews. The specific service scope may be subject to changes in hospital policies. It is recommended to confirm directly with the target hospital's Reproductive Medicine Centre.

Module I: Actual Procedure

Actual Procedure for PGT Screening

PGT screening is not an independent test item but a genetic testing process embedded within an IVF cycle. It is roughly divided into the following stages:

1. Initial Consultation and Genetic Counseling: The couple should bring their medical history, genetic reports, chromosome karyotype analysis results, etc., to meet with the reproductive doctor and genetic counselor to clarify the testing indications and goals.
2. Systematic Examination of the Couple: Includes chromosome karyotyping, thalassemia gene testing, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) carrier screening, and other targeted genetic tests. Some hospitals require carrier screening to be completed before starting the cycle.
3. Ovarian Stimulation and Egg Retrieval: Ovarian stimulation is performed according to the standard IVF procedure, followed by ultrasound-guided egg retrieval and sperm collection.
4. Embryo Culture and Blastocyst Formation: After fertilization, the eggs are cultured for 5-6 days to form blastocysts. PGT testing requires embryos to reach the blastocyst stage before biopsy.
5. Embryo Biopsy: 3-5 cells are taken from the trophectoderm layer of the blastocyst and sent to the genetics laboratory for testing. The biopsy procedure is performed by an embryologist under a microscope.
6. Genetic Testing: Depending on the testing purpose, NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) or aCGH (array Comparative Genomic Hybridization) technology platforms are selected. PGT-M requires prior family linkage analysis or direct mutation testing.
7. Result Interpretation and Genetic Counseling: The testing report is issued by the genetics laboratory. The reproductive doctor and genetic counselor jointly interpret the results to select embryos that are chromosomally normal or do not carry the pathogenic gene.
8. Frozen or Fresh Embryo Transfer: If the uterine environment is suitable during the testing cycle, a fresh embryo transfer can be performed; in most cases, embryos are frozen for transfer in a subsequent cycle.

Module J: Timeline

Timeline

From the initial consultation to obtaining transferable embryos, a PGT screening cycle typically takes 4-6 weeks. The approximate time for each stage is as follows:

Stage	Approximate Time	Notes
Initial Consultation + Genetic Counseling	1-2 clinic visits	Bring previous reports; some genetic tests require 2-4 weeks for results
Ovarian Stimulation + Egg Retrieval	10-14 days	Medication duration adjusted based on ovarian response
Embryo Culture + Biopsy	5-6 days	Biopsy performed after culturing to blastocyst stage
Genetic Testing	10-18 days	Testing time varies for NGS or aCGH platforms; PGT-M requires longer
Result Interpretation + Transfer Preparation	7-14 days	Genetic counseling clinic to interpret report and schedule transfer cycle

If PGT-M (monogenic disease testing) is required, family linkage analysis or mutation validation may need an additional 4-8 weeks. It is recommended to complete the preparatory work in advance.

Module F: Differences Between Hospitals

Differences Between Hospitals

Hospitals in Hong Kong offering PGT screening differ significantly in the following dimensions, which directly impact test results and patient experience.

Differences Between Public and Private Hospitals

Queen Mary Hospital is part of the public system. PGT services must meet government-defined indications (e.g., clear family history of genetic disease, recurrent miscarriage). Waiting times are typically 3-6 months, costs are lower, but there is limited choice. Private hospitals (Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Union Hospital, CUHK Medical Centre, etc.) have shorter appointment lead times, flexible service processes, and can cover a wider range of PGT indications, but costs are significantly higher than public hospitals.

Differences in Technology Platforms

The mainstream PGT testing platforms in Hong Kong are currently NGS (Next-Generation Sequencing) and aCGH (array Comparative Genomic Hybridization). NGS is superior to aCGH in terms of resolution, data volume, and scalability, making it particularly suitable for complex cases involving PGT-M and PGT-SR. Some hospitals have both platforms and choose based on case requirements. aCGH is mature and stable for detecting chromosomal aneuploidy but cannot detect single-gene mutations.

Differences in Genetic Counseling Teams

Genetic counseling is an indispensable part of the PGT process. CUHK Medical Centre and Queen Mary Hospital, affiliated with university genetics departments, have teams including clinical geneticists, genetic counselors, and molecular biology experts. In private hospitals, genetic counseling is often provided by the reproductive doctor, and some hospitals employ external genetic counselors. It is advisable to confirm the configuration of the genetic counseling clinic before starting the cycle.

Module K: Factors Influencing Cost

Factors Influencing Cost

The cost of PGT screening in Hong Kong varies depending on the type of test, number of embryos, technology platform, and hospital pricing strategy. The main influencing factors include:

• Type of Test: PGT-A (aneuploidy testing) costs are relatively lower. PGT-M (monogenic disease testing) costs are significantly higher due to the need for family linkage analysis or custom probes. PGT-SR (structural rearrangement testing) costs fall in between.
• Number of Embryos: Testing costs are usually calculated per embryo. The more embryos sent for testing, the higher the total cost. Some hospitals have a cap on pricing.
• Technology Platform: Testing costs on the NGS platform are higher than aCGH, but it provides more comprehensive genetic information.
• Hospital Choice: Private hospitals are more expensive than public hospitals, but offer faster service response and greater process flexibility.
• Additional Services: Costs for genetic counseling clinics, psychological support, embryo freezing, and continued storage are calculated separately.

The single test cost for PGT-A in Hong Kong (including biopsy) is roughly in the range of HKD 8,000-15,000 per embryo. Due to customization needs, PGT-M costs are typically HKD 15,000-30,000 per embryo or higher, subject to the hospital's quotation.

Module G: Most Easily Overlooked Details

Most Easily Overlooked Details

During the preparation and execution of PGT screening, the following details are easily overlooked but have a significant impact on the results.

• Qualifications and Depth of Genetic Counseling: Genetic counseling provided by some institutions is only a basic explanation, not covering family linkage analysis, mosaicism risk assessment, or penetrance evaluation. For PGT-M cases, the quality of genetic counseling directly affects the design of the testing plan.
• Boundaries of Testing Scope: PGT testing only targets known specific gene mutations or chromosomal regions and cannot cover all genetic diseases. Routine PGT-A does not detect single-gene mutations, and PGT-M only detects clearly identified pathogenic sites. It is crucial to clarify "what can be tested" and "what cannot be tested" before testing.
• Possibility of Mosaic Embryos: Blastocyst biopsy samples cells from the trophectoderm, which may not fully represent the genetic status of the inner cell mass (future fetus). The incidence of mosaicism (mixture of normal and abnormal cells) is about 5%-10%. Test results need to be interpreted in conjunction with the proportion and type of mosaicism.
• Necessity of Prenatal Diagnosis: PGT screening is a genetic test at the embryo level and carries a risk of false negatives or false positives. After pregnancy following transfer, prenatal diagnosis via amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling is still necessary for confirmation.
• Tolerance of Embryo Biopsy: The biopsy procedure has a minimally invasive impact on the embryo. An experienced embryologist can reduce the risk of damage. The technical level of the hospital's embryology laboratory directly affects the survival rate of blastocysts after biopsy.

Module N: Handling Special Cases

Handling Special Cases

Carriers of Chromosomal Balanced Translocations

Carriers of balanced translocations have a high probability (50%-80%) of producing chromosomally unbalanced embryos. PGT-SR is the preferred testing strategy. Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital and CUHK Medical Centre have extensive experience handling such cases, using the NGS platform to accurately identify translocation breakpoints and distinguish between balanced and unbalanced embryos. It is important to note that balanced translocation carriers themselves have a normal chromosomal structure, but their embryos have a high risk of chromosomal abnormalities. PGT-SR can significantly improve transfer efficiency.

Advanced Maternal Age with a History of Miscarriage

For women aged ≥38 with a history of miscarriage, the rate of embryonic chromosomal aneuploidy is significantly increased. PGT-A can effectively screen for euploid embryos, reducing the miscarriage rate. However, the number and quality of follicles decline in older women, and some may not obtain enough blastocysts for testing. It is recommended to fully assess ovarian reserve (AMH, antral follicle count) before starting the cycle and develop a contingency plan.

Family History of Monogenic Genetic Diseases

For monogenic diseases such as thalassemia, spinal muscular atrophy, hereditary deafness, and hemophilia, it is necessary to first complete the genetic diagnosis of the proband (affected family member) to confirm the pathogenic mutation site. Then, family linkage analysis is performed to design the testing plan. CUHK Medical Centre and Queen Mary Hospital have accumulated many cases in PGT-M for monogenic diseases, and their genetic counseling teams can provide support for family analysis.

Repeated Implantation Failure with Normal Chromosomes

Some patients experience repeated implantation failure despite normal embryonic chromosomal testing. In such cases, it is necessary to investigate uterine factors, immune factors, and endometrial receptivity. PGT-A only addresses chromosomal issues and cannot improve the developmental potential of the embryo itself. For such cases, it is recommended to first perform a hysteroscopy, endometrial microbiome testing, and immunological evaluation before deciding whether to continue with a PGT cycle.

Conclusion: Risk Reminder