Midwest Reproductive Center Helps You Know for Sure with Genetic Screening

As you try to get pregnant, you may wonder: What will I pass on to my child? Traits like blue eyes, dimples or widow’s peaks are inheritable; so are cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia and Tay Sachs disease. Screening for inheritable disease is affordable, and easy to administer through blood and saliva tests, so the fertility experts at Midwest Reproductive Center make sure prospective parents know about the option before they proceed to conceive.

It’s good to know the risk of passing along genetic disease, but Dr. Dan Gehlbach understands that causing unnecessary alarm with too much information is not healthy. For this reason, Midwest Reproductive Center partners with a genetics lab that provides ‘responsible multiple disease carrier screening.” This genetic screening focuses on severe diseases that can be life altering or fatal.

Choose to screen for inheritable disease and you and your partner will arrange to visit Midwest Reproductive Center for a blood draw or cheek swab, depending on the panel you select. Genetic scientists analyze the samples, and results arrive back at our fertility center within a week.

Turning Negatives into Positives with Genetic Screening

You test positive for a genetic disease. What now? Dr. Gehlbach will explain the incredible reproductive safety net called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This targeted fertility treatment allows Dr. Gehlbach to select only embryos unaffected by single gene inheritable disease or chromosomal abnormalities for transfer in a cycle of in-vitro fertilization or IVF.

PGD in conjunction with IVF helps couples with these specific fertility issues:

• Recurrent miscarriage
• Failed IVF cycles
• Advanced maternal age
• Unexplained infertility

Prenatal genetic testing is made possible by DNA mapping, a breakthrough in how scientists identify single gene defects passed on in families. Whether you are trying to get pregnant now, or plan to start a family one day, consult with a fertility specialist about the benefits of screening for inheritable disease.

To learn more about Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis visit www.midwestreproductive.com