ArticleThe New England journal of medicine2021
Problems with Using Polygenic Scores to Select Embryos.
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Article in The New England journal of medicine, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 99 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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99citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
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Who cites it
99 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Shared genetic architectures of educational attainment in East Asian and European populations.Nature human behaviour · 2024Pooled it
- Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood.Research square · 2026Article
- Distinguishing different psychiatric disorders using DDx-PRS.Nature genetics · 2026Article
- Public perceptions of polygenic testing and embryo selection for non-medical traits.Nature human behaviour · 2026Article
- Decision-making criteria in polygenic embryo screening: A survey of reproductive medicine physicians.Genetics in medicine : official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics · 2026Article
- Mendelian randomization in ovarian research: applications in PCOS, ovarian aging, and assisted reproductive technology.Journal of ovarian research · 2026Review
- Polygenic risk scores in clinical applications - opportunities and challenges.Medizinische Genetik : Mitteilungsblatt des Berufsverbandes Medizinische Genetik e.V · 2026Article
- An introduction to polygenic scores - methodological basics and recent advances.Medizinische Genetik : Mitteilungsblatt des Berufsverbandes Medizinische Genetik e.V · 2026Article
- Patient Perspectives on Psychiatric Polygenic Risk Scores in Reproductive Decision-Making and Polygenic Embryo Screening.American journal of medical genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric genetics : the official publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics · 2026Article
- Mapping the genetic and genomic landscape of assisted reproductive technology outcomes: a bibliometric analysis (2014-2025).Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics · 2026Review
- PEStimate: predicting offspring disease risk after polygenic embryo screening.Bioinformatics (Oxford, England) · 2026Article
- Early-career-researcher-led best practices for social science and behavioural genetics.Nature human behaviour · 2026Article
- Preimplantation genetic testing for polygenic diseases: A novel paradigm in embryo selection.Biochemistry and biophysics reports · 2026Review
- Modeling polygenic embryo screening in real-world IVF patients demonstrates limitations on efficacy.medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences · 2026Article
- Developmental Correlates of Epigenetic and Polygenic Indices of Cognition and Educational Attainment from Birth to Young Adulthood.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2026Article
- Clinical use of polygenic risk scores: current status, barriers and future directions.Nature reviews. Genetics · 2026Review
- Genomic Medicine and Individual Autonomy: Reflections on Knowledge Societies and Governmentality.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026Article
- Governance of polygenic embryo screening: a qualitative study on the perspectives of clinicians and patients.Fertility and sterility · 2026Article
- Clinical implications of rare and common variation in preimplantation genetic testing for breast cancer.NPJ genomic medicine · 2026Article
- The Economics and Econometrics of Gene-Environment Interplay.The Review of economic studies · 2026Article
39 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
13 authors.
Patrick TurleyFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Michelle N MeyerFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Nancy WangFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
David CesariniFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Evelynn HammondsFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Alicia R MartinFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Benjamin M NealeFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Heidi L RehmFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).ORCID 0000-0002-6025-0015
Louise Wilkins-HaugFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Daniel J BenjaminFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).ORCID 0000-0002-2642-5416
Steven HymanFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
David LaibsonFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Peter M VisscherFrom the University of Southern California (P.T.) and the University of California, Los Angeles (D.J.B.) - both in Los Angeles; Geisinger Health System, Danville, PA (M.N.M.); the National Bureau of Economic Research (N.W., D.C., D.J.B., D.L.), Harvard University (E.H., S.H., D.L.), and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., S.H.) - all in Cambridge, MA; Massachusetts General Hospital (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R.), Harvard Medical School (A.R.M., B.M.N., H.L.R., L.W.-H.), and Brigham and Women's Hospital (L.W.-H.) - all in Boston; New York University, New York (D.C.); and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia (P.M.V.).
Funding
Genome-Wide Analyses of Health and Well-Being PhenotypesR01AG042568 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI BENJAMIN, DANIEL J · 2015 to 2021
$2.8MInfrastructure and Core Activities of the Social Science Genetic Association ConsortiumR24AG065184 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI BENJAMIN, DANIEL J · 2019 to 2023
$1.8MGenome-Wide Analyses of Health and Well-Being PhenotypesR56AG042568 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI BENJAMIN, DANIEL J · 2018 to 2018
$803kGenome-wide analysis of late-onset Alzheimer's disease using intergenerational, multi-trait, and cross-ancestry dataR00AG062787 · NIA · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA · PI TURLEY, PATRICK ANSEL · 2021 to 2023
$747kGenome-wide analysis of late-onset Alzheimer's disease using intergenerational, multi-trait, and cross-ancestry dataK99AG062787 · NIA · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI TURLEY, PATRICK ANSEL · 2019 to 2020
$263kGeneralizing polygenic risk prediction methods across populations for insights into psychiatric diseaseK99MH117229 · NIMH · MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL HOSPITAL · PI MARTIN, ALICIA · 2018 to 2019
$262kNIA NIH HHS K99 AG062787NIA NIH HHS R00 AG062787NIA NIH HHS R01 AG042568NIA NIH HHS R24 AG065184NIA NIH HHS R56 AG042568NIMH NIH HHS K99 MH117229
Abstract
Companies have recently begun to sell a new service to patients considering in vitro fertilization: embryo selection based on polygenic scores (ESPS). These scores represent individualized predictions of health and other outcomes derived from genomewide association studies in adults to partially predict these outcomes. This article includes a discussion of many factors that lower the predictive power of polygenic scores in the context of embryo selection and quantifies these effects for a variety of clinical and nonclinical traits. Also discussed are potential unintended consequences of ESPS (including selecting for adverse traits, altering population demographics, exacerbating inequalities in society, and devaluing certain traits). Recommendations for the responsible communication about ESPS by practitioners are provided, and a call for a society-wide conversation about this technology is made. (Funded by the National Institute on Aging and others.).
Indexed as
Embryo, MammalianFertilization in VitroGenetic TestingGenetic VariationPhenotypePreimplantation DiagnosisEducational StatusFemaleGene-Environment InteractionGenome-Wide Association StudyHumansMultifactorial InheritancePredictive Value of TestsPregnancy
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