PGD abroad: how does genetic testing of embryos for a hereditary condition work in Greece?

PGD carried out abroad is intended for couples who know they are at risk of passing on a serious genetic condition: cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, fragile X syndrome, thalassaemia, or a familial chromosomal abnormality such as a translocation. For a condition caused by a single gene, this test is called PGT-M; for a translocation, it is called PGT-SR. In both cases, it ensures that only an unaffected embryo is transferred. This is not the same as PGT-A, which counts chromosomes without screening for a specific condition; this is explained in the article on PGT-A in Greece.

In France, PGD is available, but only in a few clinics and under strict conditions. In Greece, it is carried out in licensed clinics and laboratories, with conditions formulated differently. Here is what differs, how a PGT-M is carried out, and what you need to prepare.

PGD in France: five clinics and strict conditions

In France, PGD is only possible if a doctor qualified in medical genetics, who is a member of a multidisciplinary prenatal diagnosis clinic, certifies that the couple has a high probability of giving birth to a child with a particularly serious genetic disorder, recognised as incurable, and that the abnormality has been previously and precisely identified in one of the parents. According to the latest report from the French Biomedicine Agency, it is carried out in five authorised clinics: Grenoble, Montpellier, Nantes, Paris-Clamart and Strasbourg.

In 2023, according to the Biomedicine Agency, 1,209 applications were assessed, just under two-thirds were approved, and 345 children were born alive following PGD. The Agency does not publish an average waiting time. The official recommendations from 2024 do, however, acknowledge that preparing the test may require samples to be taken from family members and complex analyses, which prolong the process, and that it may fail.

PGD abroad: what Greek law permits

The Greek Civil Code permits medically assisted reproduction only to address the inability to conceive naturally, to preserve fertility, or to prevent the transmission of a serious disease to the child. Law 3305/2005, amended in 2022, regulates pre-implantation genetic testing: this is used to determine whether embryos carry genetic abnormalities, in order to prevent them from being transferred. It is carried out with the consent of the individuals concerned and authorisation from the National Authority for Medically Assisted Reproduction (ΕΑΙΥΑ), which verifies that the clinic has the necessary expertise and equipment, or works with a laboratory that does. Genetic counselling is mandatory prior to the test. Following a decision by the Authority in September 2025, the application for authorisation is submitted by the clinic with the couple’s consent; each case is registered by the Authority; and the genetics laboratory must be accredited by the Authority and certified to the ISO 15189 standard. According to the Authority’s register consulted in October 2026, five pre-implantation genetic testing laboratories are accredited.

Two points are worth noting. There is no exhaustive list of conditions: the 2025 decision covers conditions that impair quality of life, such as cystic fibrosis, beta-thalassaemia or sickle cell anaemia; ask the clinic, in writing, whether your case falls within this scope. Furthermore, selecting the child’s sex is prohibited, except to prevent a serious sex-linked hereditary condition.

How PGT-M works, step by step

1. Genetic counselling and the case file. The clinic requires the genetic report identifying the condition in your family, and a report from the genetic counselling session including the family tree.
2. Developing the test. Before any stimulation begins, the laboratory prepares a test specific to your family. It requires the couple’s DNA and, depending on the condition, that of relatives whose status is known: one affected person and, if possible, one unaffected person or carrier. The test looks for the variant itself, or neighbouring markers that allow the copy of the gene carrying it to be tracked. This stage takes time.
3. IVF. Stimulation, egg retrieval, in-vitro fertilisation, followed by embryo culture until the blastocyst stage, as described in the article on embryo grades.
4. Biopsy. A few cells are taken from the outer layer of the blastocyst, the layer that will form the placenta; this is currently the most widely used technique. The embryos are usually frozen whilst awaiting the result.
5. The transfer of an unaffected embryo during a subsequent cycle, which usually requires a second visit to Greece.
6. Confirmation during pregnancy. The ESHRE recommends offering prenatal diagnosis to all pregnant women following pre-implantation genetic testing.

Limitations to be aware of before starting

PGT-M is reliable, but not infallible. According to ESHRE recommendations, current procedures in most clinics result in overall error rates as low as 1–3 per cent, particularly because a copy of the gene may not be detected during analysis, or because the markers may recombine; each clinic should be aware of its own rates and provide them to you on request. This is why prenatal confirmation is still offered.

There may also be no embryos left to transfer: some embryos will be affected, whilst others will not reach the blastocyst stage. The number of eggs is therefore very important; the order of magnitude is given in how many eggs are needed for one embryo. Finally, the test only screens for the condition affecting your family: it says nothing about other conditions.

Documents to prepare before contacting a clinic

• the report of the genetic test for the affected person or carrier, which identifies the gene and the variant involved;
• the report from the genetic consultation, including the family tree and information about the family;
• karyotypes, if the condition involves a chromosomal abnormality such as a translocation;
• a list of relatives who could provide a sample for developing the test;
• the standard IVF file, as detailed in the list of documents.

A report in English saves time; I have whatever needs translating translated. Ask the clinic, in writing, which accredited laboratory carries out the preparation and analysis, how long it takes, and for a quote that breaks down the costs for preparation, biopsy, analysis and freezing. To check accreditation, see how to check that a clinic is accredited.

What if you opt for gamete donation?

When the condition is present in only one partner, egg or sperm donation is sometimes an alternative. In Greece, a 2023 decision by the National Authority requires all donors to undergo carrier screening for alpha and beta thalassaemia, sickle cell anaemia, cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and a common hereditary form of deafness, as well as a karyotype; egg donors are also tested for Fragile X syndrome. The Authority’s guidance of September 2026 excludes donors who carry a variant associated with a dominant or X-linked condition; for a recessive condition, the other biological parent must undergo targeted testing, with genetic counselling and written consent. If the condition affecting your family is not on this list, ask whether the donor can be tested for it. The rules governing donation are set out in the article on fresh or vitrified eggs.

If you would like us to review your genetic history together before contacting a clinic, please write to me.

Frequently asked questions

Source: https://fertilitegrece.com/en/blog/pgt-m-genetic-disease-greece/ — Triada Baloukoudis, IVF patient coordination in Greece. General information, not medical or legal advice. Printed on

Triada Baloukoudis
Independent IVF patient coordinator in Thessaloniki, with 24 years of experience supporting patients travelling from abroad. More · Contact · Facebook