Trying to build a family
when you carry a
genetically transmittable
disease or condition can
be terrifying. The
possibility that your
child may inherit the
problem compounds all of
the other fears and
anxieties that normally
accompany pregnancy, and
the possibility can even
lead some couples to
question the idea of
conceiving a child at
all. Fortunately, for
those couples who are
aware of a specific
genetic condition that
they carry, there is a
technique that can
significantly reduce the
chances of giving birth
to a child who has the
genetic condition.
Preimplantation genetic
diagnosis (PGD), offered
at Northern California
Fertility Medical Center,
offers couples in this
situation the opportunity
to conceive and have
children without
additional worry.
The PGD Process
The process of performing
preimplantation genetic
diagnosis begins with In
Vitro fertilization.
First, a woman must be
given fertility
medications to trigger
the ovaries to ripen
several eggs at once.
When the eggs are mature,
they are retrieved,
processed, and
fertilized.
Once embryonic
development is confirmed,
but before the embryos
are placed into the
uterus, the
preimplantation genetic
diagnosis procedure is
performed. Using highly
specialized equipment and
powerful microscopes, our
embryologists take an
embryo biopsy. This
involves removing a
single cell from an
eight-celled embryo (at
this point, the cells
have not become
specialized to particular
areas of the body, and
after the procedure, the
embryo continues to
develop normally, leaving
no sign that the cell was
ever removed). Using
certain techniques, we
are able to analyze the
genetic material from the
embryo and detect whether
it carries the markers
for a particular genetic
condition. Those embryos
that are identified as
healthy, or without the
genetic condition, are
selected for transfer.
Potential Risks
While preimplantation
genetic diagnosis has
been successfully
performed at Northern
California Fertility
Medical Center and other
practices on numerous
embryos without
complications, the
procedure is not without
a measure of risk. In
rare cases, an embryo may
be damaged during the
biopsy and fail to
continue developing.
There is also some
possibility of false
positives or false
negatives in the testing,
which is why women are
advised to undergo a
chorionic villus sampling
(which can be performed
as soon as 10 to 12 weeks
after fertilization) or
an amniocentesis (which
is performed after at
least 15 weeks) once
pregnancy is established,
to ensure that the child
is healthy. In the
majority of cases,
however, the procedure is
an extremely safe and
effective way to reduce
the risk of passing on a
genetic disease.
Who Is a Candidate?
Candidates for
preimplantation genetic
diagnosis are couples who
have already had, or have
been determined to be at
high risk for having, a
child with a known
genetic disorder. It is
important to realize that
this procedure is not for
the purpose of broad
genetic screening. In
order to detect problems,
the embryologist must
know what to look for.
Conditions that are
commonly tested for
include Down syndrome,
cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs,
and sickle cell disease.
Contact Our Office
Today
To learn more about the experience and credentials of our infertility specialists, contact our infertility treatment center in the Sacramento area. We will be happy to answer any questions you have or schedule your consultation with one of our doctors.
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