PGD/PCR
The Reproductive Specialty Center is committed to providing our patients with as many
fertility options as humanly possible. We are currently offering the PGD diagnostic
procedure for $4,500 to our patients whom are planning or already scheduled to have
an in vitro fertilization procedure. The Reproductive Specialty Center began offering
PGD in 2001. We currently have more than 400 plus on-going and delivered PGD
pregnancies Our first babies (twins) were delivered January 1, 2002.
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (known as PGD) is a technique which permits
analysis of the genetics of an embryo prior to transferring embryos to a woman
undergoing in vitro fertilization. It's primary use is to permit the selection of normal
embryos. As an off shoot one can also ascertain the sex of the embryos about to be
replaced along with testing for other common genetic abnormalities.
.Common genetic abnormalities involving 3 copies, where there should be only 2 copies
of a chromosome, such as Down's syndrome or Mongolism, Patau's and Edward's
syndromes (Trisomy 13 or 18), Klinefelters's syndromes (Y-XY), can be diagnosed.
Deletion of a portion of a chromosome can also be detected. By identifying the sex of
the embryo, one can eliminate sex-linked recessive disorders such as hemophilia.
Polymerase chain reaction techniques can be used to identify single gene defects such
as cystic fibrosis.
PGD is very powerful and can be beneficial to any couple (husband and wife) expected
to generate more than six embryos. It is also approximately 99% correct in determining
the sex of the embryos obtained. Thus each embryo is biopsied and a report is issued
on each embryo. They are kept in separate droplets, which are numbered, and the
normal embryos of the desired sex can be preferentially replaced into the uterus. Any
extra embryos that are normal can be frozen separately.
We also offer PGD to couples who have testable genetic problems (like Klinefelter's
syndrome), who feel it would be less upsetting to discard an abnormal embryo before
implantation, rather than go through early pregnancy and then have to make the difficult
decision (12 weeks into the pregnancy) of whether to continue with an abnormal
pregnancy or to abort it.
We also offer PGD to couples who have experienced repeated miscarriages (two or
more), with no obvious explanation. It often turns out that these women are making
embryos which look healthy, but are not balanced in their chromosomes, i.e. make eggs
which lead to Down's syndrome or trisomies of other chromosomes. The body
preferentially miscarries such embryos. Using PGD, we are able to transfer normal
embryos only, and avoid the emotional devastation of another miscarriage.
We have decided to take a "middle ground" regarding gender selection, offering PGD to
couples who request the procedure to "balance their families", i.e. they have one or
more children of one sex and would like to parent the other sex. Our reasoning is this:
currently very few couples wish to have (or can afford to raise) more than three children
and nearly every couple wants both one son one daughter. I think it would surprise
some ethics specialists to find that we have an equal number of requests to select for
girls as for boys. Furthermore, this has been the case, ever since we began offering
sperm sorting.
We think it is right to trust parents to make these decisions for their own families, since
they will be responsible for raising these children. We would be happy to assist you in
balancing your family.
PCR - Polymerase Chain Reaction
PCR - Polymerase Chain Reaction or "gene probe" testing has been performed since
2003. Our highly experienced laboratory team is headed by Dagan Wells, Ph.D.
Contact The Reproductive Specialty Group to inquire whether we can check for the
hereditary disease which runs in your family. Currently we can test for more than 125
diseases. If you are not certain of the inheritance pattern of your family's problem, then
we can have a genetic counselor interview you and we can determine what tests on you
would be appropriate. If you know the name of your disease you can check
www.geneclinics.org for scientific reviews by leading researchers.
To check your embryos to see if they are affected with the disease or if they carry the
recessive trait, will require about eight weeks of preparation time. During this time we will
double check your diagnosis and identify the exact area and type of gene error. If
needed, a new gene probe will be created specifically to check your embryos. We will
need samples of blood from both parents.