Can IVF prevent genetic diseases?

IVF with PGT-M can substantially reduce the chance of having a child affected by a specific inherited condition that you already know about. That is a real and important capability, and for families with a serious genetic condition it can be life-changing. But the framing "IVF prevents genetic disease" overstates it in several ways worth understanding. It only addresses conditions you already know to test for. PGT-M is designed around a specific known gene change in your family. It does not screen for genetic conditions generally. It does not eliminate risk. A residual risk of misdiagnosis always remains, which is why ESHRE recommends prenatal diagnosis is offered to all women who become pregnant after PGT. It does not address chromosome problems arising in the embryo, unless PGT-A is added, and even then not completely. It does not prevent conditions arising from new gene changes that neither parent carries — these happen, and no testing can anticipate them. It does not prevent structural abnormalities, birth complications, or conditions with complex causes. There is also a practical constraint: PGT-M requires IVF, which has its own success rates, costs and physical demands, and the process reduces the number of usable embryos. For some couples, natural conception with prenatal diagnosis is a reasonable alternative and should be presented as such. If you have a known condition in your family, a genetic counsellor can set out all the routes available rather than only the one your fertility clinic offers.