Learn more about preimplantation genetic diagnosis by contacting Northern California Fertility Medical Center to schedule a consultation.
Northern California Fertility Medical Center
1130 Conroy Lane, Suite #100
Roseville, CA 95661
Phone: (866) 714-2492
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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 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.
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.
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.
If you would like to learn more about preimplantation genetic diagnosis, please contact Northern California Fertility Medical Center. Our experienced and knowledgeable staff can answer your questions or schedule a consultation for you with one of our infertility specialists.