Beverly Hills Fertility has become the first clinic to partner with Nucleus Genomics, offering the company’s Nucleus Embryo genetic screening software to IVF patients. The partnership comes amid significant controversy over Nucleus’s technology, which claims to help parents select embryos based on traits including appearance, intelligence, and complex health conditions.
Nucleus Embryo uses polygenic scores to evaluate embryos for traits like height, hair color, and predicted IQ levels. According to TechCrunch, the technology has drawn substantial criticism since its launch, with a company tweet receiving over 4 million views and hundreds of critical comments.
The National Human Genome Research Institute states that “polygenic risk scores are not yet routinely used by health professionals because there are no guidelines for practice and researchers are still improving how these scores are generated.” This differs from established genetic testing for specific conditions like BRCA1 mutations.
“We heard from thousands of parents following the launch of Nucleus Embryo,” said Kian Sadeghi, Founder and CEO of Nucleus Genomics. “Beverly Hills Fertility saw this incredible need to meet parents where they’re at and we’re honored to partner with a clinic so committed to advancing reproductive care.”
The partnership establishes Beverly Hills Fertility as the first member of Nucleus’s IVF+ Network. Traditional embryo genetic testing focuses on chromosomal abnormalities or specific genetic disorders, while Nucleus’s approach extends into complex traits involving multiple genes and environmental factors.
“With Nucleus, I’m most excited about helping more patients, beyond those struggling with infertility,” said Dr. Ellen Goldstein, co-founder of Beverly Hills Fertility. “Patients pursuing IVF with Nucleus need an ethical physician who will personalize their care and ensure they have a safe cycle — that’s where Beverly Hills comes in.”
