PGT Report Questions: Who Should Explain the Findings and Your Treatment Options?

You can ask both what your PGT report says and what it means for your personal care. The useful distinction is who should answer each question. A laboratory contact can clarify identifiers, test methods and report wording; your treating clinician and, where relevant, a genetic counsellor can discuss personal implications, risks and options. A coordinator can help arrange those discussions and organise documents. Use the two question lists below to reach the right person, not to avoid asking for clinical advice.

At a glance

• Report questions ask what a document says, how a test was performed, and what the stated limitations are.
• Medical interpretation asks what a result means for your specific body, history, or treatment plan.
• Personal interpretation requires the appropriate clinician and, where relevant, genetic counsellor to consider your medical context.
• You can prepare both types of questions, but route them to the right person at the right time.
• Clear boundaries reduce confusion, protect your safety, and make consultations more productive.

Why the right clinical and laboratory contacts matter

A PGT report is a technical document. It describes what was tested, what was observed, and what the laboratory can and cannot conclude. It is not a personal treatment plan. When report questions and interpretation requests are mixed together, several things can go wrong.

First, you may receive a general explanation and mistake it for personal advice. Second, a clinician may answer a factual question without knowing the full context that would change the answer. Third, you may leave a consultation with more uncertainty than before because the conversation never settled on what was actually being asked.

You may ask both kinds of question in an appropriately arranged consultation. Confirm who will explain the test and who will discuss what it means in your clinical context, with the relevant records available.

What counts as a PGT report question

Report questions are about the document and the testing process. They are usually answerable by a laboratory scientist, a genetic counselor, or a clinician who can explain the report’s structure. Examples include:

• What type of PGT was performed, such as PGT-A, PGT-M, or PGT-SR?
• What does each section of the report describe?
• What do the abbreviations and result categories mean in general terms?
• What were the stated limitations of the test?
• What does the report say about the number of embryos tested and their stage?
• Are there any notes about technical quality, inconclusive results, or recommendations for confirmatory testing?
• What is the difference between a result described as normal, abnormal, mosaic, or inconclusive?
• How should I store or share this report with another clinician?

These questions help you understand the report as a document. They do not require the clinician to judge what the result means for your particular situation.

What counts as a request for medical interpretation

Interpretation requests ask for a personal clinical judgment. They require your medical history, your treatment goals, your previous results, and sometimes a discussion of risks and alternatives. Examples include:

• Does this result mean I should transfer this embryo?
• Does this result mean I should not transfer this embryo?
• What are my chances of a live birth with this result?
• Should I do another cycle or stop treatment?
• Is this result the reason for my previous outcomes?
• What would you do if you were me?
• Does this result mean my future child will or will not have a certain condition?

These are legitimate questions, but they are not report questions. They are clinical decisions that depend on factors a report alone cannot capture. Asking them of someone who is only explaining the document can lead to an answer that sounds authoritative but is not personal advice.

How to prepare patient questions before a consultation

Preparation is the most practical way to keep the boundary clear. Before you speak with your clinic, sort your questions into two lists.

1. List A: Report questions. Write down anything about the document’s content, terminology, testing method, or stated limitations.
2. List B: Interpretation questions. Write down anything about what the result means for your body, your treatment plan, your risks, or your decisions.
3. Mark your priority questions. If time is limited, decide which one or two questions matter most in each list.
4. Send List A in advance if possible. This gives the clinic time to prepare a clear explanation.
5. Save List B for a clinical consultation. Bring your full history and ask for a discussion of risks, benefits, and alternatives.

This approach respects the clinician’s role and helps you avoid receiving a general answer to a personal question.

Clinician role clarity: who answers what

Different people in a fertility care team have different roles. Understanding those roles helps you direct your questions well.

Role	Typical focus	Can help with	Cannot replace
Laboratory scientist or genetic counselor	The test and the report	Explaining test type, terminology, limitations, and report structure	Personal treatment decisions
Treating fertility clinician	Your care and treatment plan	Interpreting results in your medical context and discussing options	Guaranteeing outcomes
Patient coordinator	Logistics and communication	Scheduling, records, travel, and language support	Clinical interpretation
You	Your goals and values	Asking clear questions and sharing your priorities	Replacing clinical judgment

When you know who is best placed to answer, you can avoid asking a coordinator to interpret a result or asking a laboratory scientist to recommend a transfer. That clarity protects everyone involved.

Medical interpretation limits you should expect

You should also expect that some questions cannot be answered from a report alone. Questions about your future child’s health, your chances of success, or the cause of previous outcomes may require a broader evaluation. No report can answer them by itself.

Practical questions to ask your clinic

Use these questions to clarify how your clinic handles report explanations and interpretation. They are written to be neutral and can be adapted to your situation.

• Who is the best person to explain the report to me?
• Can I receive a written summary of what the report says in plain language?
• What are the stated limitations of this test?
• Which parts of the report are factual findings and which are interpretations?
• If I have questions about what this means for my treatment, when can I discuss them with my clinician?
• What information should I prepare before that discussion?
• Are there any results that need confirmatory testing, and how would that be arranged?
• How will this report be stored and shared with my other healthcare providers?

These questions help you get the information you need without asking a non-clinician to make a clinical judgment.

Next-step checklist

1. Read your report once without trying to interpret it. Note unfamiliar terms.
2. Create two lists: report questions and interpretation questions.
3. Send report questions to the appropriate contact at your clinic.
4. Request a clinical consultation for interpretation questions.
5. Bring your medical history, previous reports, and your priority questions to that consultation.
6. Ask for a written summary or plan you can review later.

For more context on PGT in Thailand, see our PGT in Thailand overview. You can also browse our guides for related planning topics or check the FAQ for common questions about reports and consultations.

A note on uncertainty and shared decisions

PGT is a tool, not a guarantee. It can provide information that some patients find useful in planning, but it does not eliminate uncertainty, and it is not required for everyone. Whether to use PGT, how to interpret a result, and what to do next are decisions that depend on your values, your medical history, and the guidance of your treating clinician.

Routing report and personal-care questions to the appropriate clinical or laboratory contact is one way to make those decisions with clearer information. It helps you ask better questions, understand the limits of what a report can tell you, and work with your care team in a way that respects everyone’s role.

Frequently asked questions

Can I ask my clinic's patient coordinator to explain what my PGT result means for my treatment?

A patient coordinator can usually help with logistics, scheduling, records, and communication. They are not typically the right person to interpret what a result means for your specific treatment plan. That question is best directed to your treating clinician, who can consider your full medical context. You can ask the coordinator to help you schedule a clinical consultation for interpretation questions.

What should I do if I already asked a non-clinician to interpret my report?

It is common to ask the first available person. If you received an answer that felt like personal medical advice from someone who is not your treating clinician, treat it as general information rather than a decision. Write down your interpretation questions and bring them to your clinician. They can review the report with your history and give you a more complete picture.

Does keeping report questions separate mean I cannot ask about my chances of success?

No. You can and should ask about your chances if that matters to you. The point is to ask that question in a clinical consultation, where your history, age, previous cycles, and other factors can be considered. A report alone cannot answer it, and a non-clinician should not try. Your clinician can explain what is known, what is uncertain, and what factors may influence your situation.

How can I tell whether a question is a report question or an interpretation question?

A useful test is to ask yourself whether the answer would be the same for every patient who received the same report. If yes, it is likely a report question about the document or the test. If the answer depends on your personal history, goals, or medical situation, it is an interpretation question. When in doubt, ask your clinic who is best placed to answer.

What if my PGT report contains a result I do not understand at all?

Start by asking for a plain-language explanation of the report's structure and terminology. You can request this from the laboratory, a genetic counselor, or your clinic's designated contact. Avoid jumping to conclusions about what the result means for you until you have had a chance to discuss it with your treating clinician. If a result is unclear or inconclusive, ask whether confirmatory testing or a specialist review is appropriate.

Related preparation

• Prepare a remote terminology question sheet
• Read the foundational PGT terminology guide

Ask Thailand PGT about organising your report questions and coordinating the appropriate appointment. Discuss the support you need. Scope and any applicable fees are confirmed individually; clinicians make medical decisions.

Medical information notice: This article is educational and does not replace individual assessment, diagnosis, genetic counselling or treatment advice from a licensed clinician. Provider services, availability, fees and policies should be verified directly before booking.