BGA Statement on Polygenic Embryo Selection

June 2025

The Behavior Genetics Association (BGA) is aware that several companies are starting to offer polygenic score services in the context of screening embryos for in-vitro fertilization (IVF). These polygenic risk scores reflect an individual’s estimated aggregated genetic risk for a polygenic outcome of interest, where many genetic variants may contribute to that trait (all with small effects). In research, these scores are often used as measures of between-person variation, and for most phenotypes, these scores can predict a small percentage of the differences between individuals. 

However, at the moment, these scores cannot predict the development of a disorder or trait at the individual level and are unproven for clinical purposes. Practical and methodological issues also persist. For instance, most genetic variants affect multiple traits (pleiotropy), so selecting for one trait will unintentionally affect others. The mechanisms that underlie associations between polygenic scores and traits are unknown, so selecting for common genetic variants has unclear biological consequences. An individual’s polygenic score for a given trait can vary substantially depending on the statistical approach used, and this variability can affect whether a score falls above or below arbitrary thresholds used to make selection decisions. Embryo selection, especially for mental and behavioral traits, also raises unresolved legal, ethical, and social issues that require global discussion but are largely overlooked by service providers. Access is limited to those who can afford IVF and screening, potentially widening socioeconomic disparities. Additionally, many companies also use unpublished, proprietary methods without peer review, making their claims opaque and difficult to verify.  Therefore, BGA shares concerns expressed by other organizations such as the European Society of Human Genetics, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, and the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics, and advises against using polygenic embryo selection for clinical purposes.


For more information on polygenic scores and their use in clinical settings, see:

Lencz, T., Sabatello, M., Docherty, A., Peterson, R. E., Soda, T., Austin, J., ... & Davis, L. K. (2022). Concerns about the use of polygenic embryo screening for psychiatric and cognitive traits. The Lancet Psychiatry, 9(10), 838-844.

Turley, P., Meyer, M. N., Wang, N., Cesarini, D., Hammonds, E., Martin, A. R., ... & Visscher, P. M. (2021). Problems with using polygenic scores to select embryos. New England Journal of Medicine, 385(1), 78-86.

Wray, N. R., Lin, T., Austin, J., McGrath, J. J., Hickie, I. B., Murray, G. K., & Visscher, P. M. (2021). From basic science to clinical application of polygenic risk scores: a primer. JAMA Psychiatry, 78(1), 101-109.

This statement was authored by the following members of the BGA Public Science Committee: Margot van de Weijer, PhD, Evan J. Giangrande, PhD, Robbee Wedow, PhD,. Olivia C. Robertson, PhD, Stephanie Estrera, BA. It was approved by the BGA Executive Committee.