Is there a chance of genetic defects in IVF?
The development of IVF technology has enabled many infertile couples to realize their reproductive dreams. However, an important issue that follows is whether IVF has the risk of genetic defects. This article will elaborate on the probability of genetic defects in IVF from four aspects: genetic diseases, genetic risk assessment, genetic screening and genetic counseling.
Hereditary disease and its transmission mode
Hereditary diseases are diseases caused by gene mutations. In many cases, these mutations are often inherited from parents to the next generation. The transmission mode of hereditary diseases can be roughly divided into three categories: single gene inheritance, polygene inheritance and chromosome abnormality.
Single gene genetic disease is caused by a mutation gene, such as cystic kidney disease, hemophilia, etc. If a couple are healthy people carrying this mutation gene, their children have a 25% chance of getting sick. Polygenic genetic diseases are caused by the cumulative effect of multiple genes, such as congenital hearing impairment, Down syndrome, etc. Chromosome abnormalities include common Down syndrome, paternal autosomal hemophilia, etc. In the genetic background of IVF, if the parents have some genetic disease or are carriers of mutant genes, the risk of IVF having genetic defects will increase accordingly.
Genetic risk assessment
In order to assess the risk of IVF suffering from genetic defects, doctors usually conduct genetic counseling and risk assessment. Genetic risk assessment is a method to assess the risk of IVF suffering from genetic diseases. The possibility of IVF suffering from diseases can be determined by analyzing the genetic history and family history of couples, as well as the results of genetic testing.
For single gene genetic diseases, genetic testing can be used to detect whether couples carry disease causing genes. In the case of known pathogenic genes, embryos carrying mutant genes can be screened through embryonic gene testing to reduce the risk of infant disease. For polygenic genetic diseases and chromosomal abnormalities, genetic risk assessment is relatively complex, and genetic testing and biochemical testing are required to accurately assess the risk of disease.
Genetic screening and genetic counseling
In order to reduce the risk of IVF suffering from genetic defects, doctors often recommend genetic screening and genetic counseling. Genetic screening is to conduct gene testing on embryos or embryo carriers, search for mutant genes and chromosomal abnormalities, and then select embryos with lower risk for transplantation.
At the same time, genetic counseling is also a very important step. The genetic counselor will fully understand the genetic history and family medical history of the couple, and provide corresponding genetic risk assessment and suggestions. Counselors will also provide psychological support to couples, help them face the risk of possible genetic defects, and provide information to support them to make appropriate decisions.
summary
The probability of IVF having genetic defects depends on the genetic background and family history of the couple. For couples with genetic risk, genetic risk assessment, genetic screening and genetic counseling are important steps to reduce the risk. Through reasonable genetic risk assessment and selection of embryos with lower risk for transplantation, the probability of genetic defects in IVF can be reduced to a certain extent.
