A New Genetic Test Is Transforming Family Planning
A new genetic test is changing the way a generation of moms approach family planning.
Sarah Elizabeth Orlando, 33, knew she would take a different approach to starting a family. She carried the gene for fragile X syndrome (FXS), a common cause of inherited intellectual disability, which was confirmed by an in-utero amniocentesis before she was born.
"I knew I didn’t want that for myself or my children,"
says Orlando, who has seen what it's like to care for someone with special needs. She chose in-vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT), which allows embryos to be tested for genetic disorders. After one round of IVF, she had 10 embryos, three of which did not carry the genetic mutation.
This approach is giving women like Orlando more control over their reproductive choices and the ability to make informed decisions about their families.
Author's summary: Genetic testing is transforming family planning for a new generation of moms.
- In-vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) allows embryos to be tested for genetic disorders.
- This approach is giving women more control over their reproductive choices.