Karyotype Testing for Infertility: How London Diagnostics Clinic Leads the Way

Book your karyotype test with London Diagnostics Clinic today.

• Email: contact@londondiagnosticsclinic.com
• Phone: +44 2081500059

What is a karyotype test?

A karyotype test counts and checks your chromosomes, the packages that carry your genes. Most people have 46 chromosomes in 23 pairs, including two sex chromosomes (XX or XY).

The laboratory grows white blood cells from your sample, stains the chromosomes and examines them under a microscope. A trained cytogeneticist then looks for anything missing, extra or rearranged.

A karyotype sees large changes. It does not test single genes, so it is often paired with other tests, such as Y chromosome microdeletion testing for men or Fragile X testing for women with early ovarian failure.

Who should consider karyotype testing?

Karyotyping is not a routine test for everyone trying to conceive. It is most useful when there is a specific sign that chromosomes could be involved.

Men

Male factor plays a part in 40–50% of infertility cases, yet men are often tested last. Karyotyping is usually advised for men with:

• no sperm in the semen (azoospermia)
• a very low sperm count (severe oligozoospermia)
• small testes or low testosterone alongside a poor semen result

Women

• periods stopping before 40 (premature ovarian insufficiency)
• periods that never started (primary amenorrhoea)

Couples

• repeated miscarriage, especially where a pregnancy loss showed a chromosome problem
• repeated failed IVF with good-quality embryos
• a family history of a chromosome rearrangement, or a previous baby born with a chromosome condition

International guidelines do not recommend karyotyping every couple after miscarriage. Your doctor will weigh your history first, and we can help you take that step with the right information.

Why London Diagnostics Clinic leads in karyotype testing for infertility

A karyotype needs living cells. Your blood sample must reach the laboratory quickly, at the right temperature and unfrozen, or the cells will not grow and the test fails. That is why many patients outside the UK struggle to get a reliable result, and why we built our service around it.

• Leaders in worldwide cross-border testing. We arrange karyotyping for patients in the UK, Nigeria and across Africa, the Middle East and beyond, not only for those who can travel to London.
• Accredited laboratories. Your sample is analysed through our network of accredited laboratories, and every report is reviewed by qualified specialists.
• Accompanied sample transport. Our sister logistics team accompanies time-critical samples from collection to the laboratory, so your live cells arrive in a condition that can be tested.
• Fertility expertise, not just a lab result. Our team works in reproductive science every day. We help you and your fertility doctor understand what the result means for your treatment plan.
• One coordinated pathway. If your result points to embryo testing (PGT-SR), donor gametes or sperm retrieval, we connect you to the next step and can coordinate accompanied transport of embryos, sperm or eggs between clinics.
• Built for the diaspora. With teams in London and Lagos, we understand the realities of testing across borders, time zones and healthcare systems.

How karyotype testing works with us

1. Contact us. Email us with your history or your doctor's referral. We confirm whether karyotyping is the right test, and whether your partner should be tested too.
2. Book your collection. Visit us in London, or we arrange a blood draw near you through our collection network.
3. Give a small blood sample. A few millilitres are taken into a special tube. No fasting or preparation is needed.
4. Accompanied transport to the laboratory. For patients outside the UK, our team accompanies your sample so it reaches the laboratory within the time window the cells need.
5. Laboratory analysis. Your cells are grown, and your chromosomes are counted and examined.
6. Your report. You receive a written report, usually within [X–X] weeks of the sample arriving. We help you share it with your fertility doctor and plan next steps.

Ready to start? Our team will guide you through every step.

• Email: contact@londondiagnosticsclinic.com
• Phone: +44 2081500059

Understanding your result and what comes next

Most karyotypes come back normal. That is useful too: it rules out one cause and lets your doctor focus elsewhere.

If you need embryo testing, we connect you to accredited genetics laboratories and arrange accompanied transport of biopsy samples or embryos between clinics.

Frequently asked questions

Is a karyotype test painful? No. It is a standard blood test from your arm and takes a few minutes.

Do both partners need testing? Often, yes. For repeated miscarriage, either partner could carry a rearrangement, so testing both gives a complete answer.

Can I do a karyotype test if I live in Nigeria or elsewhere in Africa? Yes. We arrange collection near you and accompany your sample to an accredited laboratory, so the cells arrive in a testable condition.

How long do results take? Usually [X–X] weeks from the sample reaching the laboratory, because the cells must be grown before they can be examined.

If I carry a balanced translocation, can I still have a healthy baby? Many carriers do. IVF with PGT-SR can help select embryos with a balanced chromosome set, and some carriers conceive naturally.

Can men with Klinefelter syndrome become fathers? Some can. Surgical sperm retrieval finds sperm in a proportion of men with Klinefelter syndrome, which can then be used in IVF with ICSI.

Is karyotyping the same as a DNA test? No. A karyotype looks at whole chromosomes. DNA tests, such as paternity tests or single-gene tests, look at specific genetic markers.

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not medical, legal, financial or other professional advice. Speak to a qualified doctor or genetic counsellor about your own situation.