S-31 Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Vol. 18, Suppl. 3, May 2009 Abstracts – PGDIS: 9th International Symposium on Preimplantation Genetics and lack of organized health education, while the private centre is doing PGD for monogenic disorders and for social sexing. PGD for HLA matching is done primarily to prevent the disorder but not for saviour sibling alone. PGD for late-onset disorders such as cancer predisposition is acceptable; however, it is not currently practised. Views on PGD for social sexing varied from being acceptable as sex ratio family balancing provided that the couple has only three or four children of the same sex to being prohibited. Views on PGS were very diverse from no role to those who may adopt it in all IVF cases. However, lack of general consensus, clear written guidelines and outcome follow up for PGD/PGS and PND practice in Saudi Arabia are emphasized by most of the staff. Conclusion: There is an urgent need for legal authority and written guidelines for the practice of PGD/PGS and PND in Saudi Arabia. A well-organized genetic prevention programme through the Ministry of Health that provide specialized PGD centres in certain genetic diseases, with highly standardized accredited licensed genetic laboratories, are also needed. Establishment of a well-organized health-education and follow-up programme for all IVF and PGD babies are of paramount importance. Investigation of two marker chromosomes cases: identifcation, gamete distribution and interchromosomal effect in patients with reproductive failure Zotova N 1 , Markova E 1 , Svetlakov AV 1 , Kazantseva O 1 , Karamysheva T 2 , Rubtsov N 2 1 Center for Reproductive Medicine, Krasnoyarsk; 2 Institute of Cytology and Genetics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia Introduction: Identifcation of small supernumerary marker chromosomes (SSMC) and prognosing healthy offspring in families with SSMC are among the most complicated cases of cytogenetic analysis and genetic counselling. These peculiarities make it diffcult to develop PGD strategy in SSMC cases. In this study, we present the results of investigation of two SSMC cases: identifcation, gamete distribution and interchromosomal effect in patients with reproductive failure. Materials/methods: A patient (aged 31 years), his wife and his parents in one family and a patient (aged 40 years) in another family were karyotyped. There were two cases of spontaneous miscarriages in the history of the frst family and primary infertility in the second one. The frst patient had normozoospermia but the second patient was oligoteratozoospermic (according to the standard WHO criteria). For chromosome examination PHA-stimulated peripheral blood cells were used. Spectral karyotyping (SKY) was carried out using the SKY kit. Metaphase chromosome microdissection followed by PCR with degenerate oligonucleotide primer (DOP) and labelling with TAMRA in additional cycles of PCR was performed. Whole chromosome paint (WCP) was made by standard protocol. FISH was performed on slides with metaphase chromosomes from cultivated lymphocytes and on slides with fxed spermatozoa. We investigated distribution of SSMC in spermatozoa and aneuploidy frequency for chromosomes (4 or 15, 13, 18, 21, X and Y) in sperm and somatic cells. Results: Both patients had SSMC, identifed by standard karyotyping. CBG and NOR staining did not allow to defne composition of SSMC. The SSMC of the frst patient was morphologically smaller than that of the second one. SKY and FISH failed to identify SSMC. Using metaphase chromosome microdissection, followed by FISH with labelled In 2007, an international research group with a wide range of expertise was assembled in Buenos Aires, including reproductive medicine, clinical genetics, molecular genetics, epidemiology, developmental psychology and bioethics. The result was the proposal for the Assisted Reproductive Technique Outcome Registry of Argentina (ARTORA). ARTORA would have important public health and regulatory implications, such as documentation of the prevalence of adverse events due to assisted reproduction treatments, description of the natural history of adverse events, identifcation of predictors of adverse events and populations at highest risk, development of statistical methodology for signal detection and safety risk– beneft analysis. Also, ARTORA would: (i) provide margins of reassurance regarding the lack of risk when a precise measurement is impossible; (ii) monitor for suspected risks raised by preclinical studies, pre-marketing clinical studies, or post-marketing case reports; (iii) identify factors that affect the risk of adverse outcomes, such as dose, timing of exposure, or maternal characteristics; and (iv) serve as a hypothesis- generating tool. In this presentation, we will discuss defnitions, uses, benefts, limitations and challenges of a pregnancy registry designed to evaluate whether assisted reproduction techniques are associated with a higher risk of congenital anomalies and we will introduce a new initiative called the International Preimplantation Genetics Diagnosis Outcome Registry. Islamic ethical and legal framework and current practice of PGD/PGS and PND in Saudi Arabia Sultan H¹, SenGupta S¹, Noble R², Harper JC¹ ¹UCL Centre for PGD, Institute for Women’s Health; ²Centre for Reproductive Ethics and Rights, Institute for Women’s Health, University College London, London Background: It is now 20 years since the birth of the frst PGD baby, yet the ethical and social implications continue to be debated. We have investigated PGD staff views in Saudi Arabia, one of the leading Islamic countries where regulatory authority follows the Islamic shari’aa law. The population of Saudi Arabia is characterized by large family size, and high consanguinity rates of 30% leading to high rate of inherited genetic diseases. The aims here are to explore (i) the current practice of PND, PGS and PGD in Saudi Arabia and staff views on ethical, legal, and social implications; (ii) the acceptability of the use of PGD in sex selection; and (iii) views on the prevention of genetic diseases in fertile couples and opinion on the limited use of PND for fetal anomalies and subsequent termination. Methods: Face-to-face, semi-structured recorded interviews were carried out in two of three PGD centres in Saudi Arabia. One centre is government funded with 7 years of PGD experience while the other is private with 9 years of PGD experience. The third centre is private, started recently and did not participate in this study. Results: PND is not popular in Saudi Arabia because of the need for termination and the psychological burden on the family and society; PGD is more accepted. However, only three centres are practising PGD. Most IVF centres are not contemplating starting a PGD service mainly because of the high cost of tests, the sophisticated technology involved, lack of specialized personnel and the poor returns of the investment. The Government-funded centre does PGD mainly for monogenic disorders and covers a high diversity of genetic diseases that are associated with the high rate of consanguinity