Can IVF be used for genotype selection?How Genotype AS couples can give birth to a Genotype AA baby through IVF…
Do you know that a Genotype AS woman and a Genotype AS man can comfortably have a Genotype AA baby through IVF done even in Nigeria? Yes two AS couples can avoid having a child with sickle cell anemia (SS baby) through in-vitro fertilization (IVF)…
Here is how it can be achieved using any of the 4 methods listed below here:
1. Pre-implantation Genetic Testing during IVF
Here, a sperm cell is collected from the genotype AS man and egg from a genotype AS woman and fertilized in the lab. After the embryos has been formed, a kind of test called the pre-implantation genotype testing (PGT) is done to identify the Genotype AA embryo before transfer to the woman for conception and delivery. This can be done in Nigeria. Bridge Fertility Clinic, Nordica fertility Clinic , Nisa Premier and Mecure Hospital etc do PGT for AS couples who want to have AA babies.
2. Donor Egg
If both couples are AS and desire to have an AA baby, it can been done by getting a genotype AA female egg donor and the man’s sperm will be used to fertilize the egg to form an embryo. It is this either AA or AS embryo that will be transferred to the woman for conception and subsequent delivery avoiding sickle cell baby.
3. Donor sperm
Here, sperm is collected from a genotype AA donor and a egg collected from the genotype AS woman and thereafter fertilized to form either a genotype AA or AS embryo that is subsequently transferred to the woman for conception and subsequent delivery avoiding a sickle cell baby.. IUI or ICSI can also be done with the donor sperm.
4. Donor Egg, donor sperm
Here both AS couples will get an egg donor and a sperm donor – both donors must be genotype AA mind you. After the genotype AA embryo has been formed in the lab…it is then transferred to the woman for conception and subsequent delivery in 9 months.
5. Prenatal Genotype Testing
Though this is not IVF in the real sense of it but i decided to add it anyway for your education. Here, the genotype As man and the woman conceive naturally and while pregnant, some tests called prenatal Genotype Testing (amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling) is done for the baby in the womb to determine if the baby is SS, AS or AA.
If the baby is anything other than AS or AA, the couples may decide to wash off the pregnancy… The problem with this way of avoiding SS babies is that how many wash off are you going to do? And the repeated prenatal Genotype Testing – amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling are invasive ….meaning it takes a toll on the woman. IVF is still better in my opinion.
IVF for now still remains the best solution to genotype AS + AS
Written by Dr Udomoh ESHEMOKHA
