Can IVF defects be passed on to future generations?
With the continuous development of assisted reproductive technology, more and more couples have realized their reproductive dreams through IVF technology. However, people have been worried about the genetic defects of IVF. This article will discuss whether the genetic defects of IVF can be passed on to offspring from four aspects.
1. The genes of IVF are derived from both parents
The genes of IVF are provided by both parents. During in vitro fertilization, doctors will obtain eggs and sperm from both parents and conduct in vitro fertilization in the laboratory. Therefore, the gene carriers of IVF are both parents, and the risk of genetic defects is similar to that of natural pregnancy.
There may be some mutation genes related to genetic defects in the genomes of both parents, which are caused by heredity and accidental mutation. If both parents carry the same mutant gene, their offspring may inherit this genetic defect. However, this situation is not specific to IVF, and couples who are naturally pregnant also face this risk.
In addition, IVF technology also provides the option of PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis). Through PGD, doctors can screen the embryos of IVF for genetic diseases and avoid implanting embryos with genetic defects into the mother. This further reduces the risk of genetic defects in IVF.
2. Necessity of screening test tube baby genes
Since the genes of IVF originate from both parents, the necessity of screening IVF genes has attracted much attention. Some clinical practices have shown that by sequencing the whole genome of IVF or screening for common genetic diseases, couples can understand whether embryos carry certain genetic defects and make choices before implantation.
The purpose of this screening is to minimize the incidence of genetic defects. Once potential genetic problems are found, doctors and couples can decide to continue embryo transfer if they both think the risk is acceptable. Otherwise, they may choose to abandon the embryo and switch to other healthy embryos.
However, it is worth noting that the current screening method is not absolutely accurate, and there may be errors and omissions. Therefore, even after screening, IVF may still carry some genetic defects.
3. Risk of genetic defects that may be carried by offspring
Whether it is a natural pregnancy or a test tube baby, there is a risk of genetic defects in both parents. Some genetic diseases have significant familial clustering. If both parents carry genes with certain genetic defects, their offspring may have an increased risk of disease.
However, to assess the risk of disease in offspring, many factors need to be considered, including the type of genetic mutation, the number of gene carriers, gene expression and environmental factors. Therefore, we cannot simply conclude that the risk of genetic defects in IVF is higher than that of natural pregnancy.
At the same time, the risk of genetic defects in IVF is also affected by gene screening. Through PGD screening, embryos with genetic defects can be excluded before transplantation, thus reducing the risk of disease in offspring.
4. Summary
The risk of genetic defects of IVF is similar to that of natural pregnancy, which mainly depends on the condition of gene carrying by both parents. Through gene screening of test tube babies, couples can be assisted to select healthy embryos for implantation, thus reducing the probability of genetic defects in offspring. However, the screening method is not absolutely accurate, and potential genetic problems still exist. Therefore, couples should fully understand the risks of related genetic defects when choosing IVF technology, and make decisions under the guidance of doctors.
