HRC Fertility Offers Parental Support Technology to Screen Embryos for Abnormalities

With advancements in reproductive technology, couples are now able to screen embryos for genetic abnormalities before implantation during an in-vitro fertilization cycle.  This is referred to as Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis or PGD.  However, test accuracy with preimplantation screening has historically been an issue due to the inherent difficulties associated with testing the small amount of genetic material in a single cell.   However, a new screening technology called Parental Support™, created by Gene Security Network (GSN) (www.genesecurity.net) overcomes the technical limitations of previous technologies to provide more comprehensive and accurate testing for patients. HRC Fertility, the leading fertility clinic on the west coast, is now offering this new PGD technology, and helping patients build their families.

Melanie and Dudley Tabakin wanted to have children, and unexplained infertility led them to pursue assisted reproductive technologies.  After four failed IVF cycles with other reproductive endocrinologists, the couple decided to see Dr. Daniel Potter at HRC Fertility.   In hopes of improving their chances for a successful IVF, they chose to do PGD testing to help select normal, healthy embryos.  During the cycle, Melanie and Dudley went for more testing, and they discovered they were both Tay Sachs carriers.  Not sure how to proceed with their future fertility treatments, the couple turned to Dr. Daniel Potter who quickly identified a few options that had not been fully investigated, including Parental Support™.

The couple went on to do an IVF cycle with Parental Support™ genetic screening.  Melanie says, “We knew about PGD but Dr. Potter introduced us to GSN and a new trial they were doing on single gene testing. We felt this was our only option and gave us the best chance of having a baby free of Tay Sachs.”

Dudley adds, “GSN and HRC made the process easy for us and provided the information and support we required. HRC and GSN have an effective and close relationship which makes it easy to get the process completed with little fuss and accurate results.”

Melanie and Dudley were successful, and are expecting in March.

GSN’s Parental Support™ can screen 24 chromosomes for abnormalities and can also test for single cell genetic diseases. GSN began offering its screening to IVF clinics in October 2008, and HRC Fertility is one of just 90 IVF clinics in the U.S and Europe that are now offering the test.

The technology enables fast turnaround of highly accurate test results that can be returned in time for a fresh embryo transfer on the morning of Day 5 during an IVF cycle.  Parental Support™ relies on genetic data obtained from samples from both the mother and father.  So, knowing specific genetic data from the mother and the father can help test the embryo more reliably.

GSN’s proprietary Preimplantation Genetic Screening technology has been published in the leading medical journal Human Reproduction, and is more comprehensive than other existing methods used to detect chromosome abnormalities during in vitro-fertilization (IVF). Dr. Daniel Potter states, “At HRC we want to give patients the information and support they need.  Infertility is a difficult journey for many couples, and it is gratifying when we can offer them the best technology available to help them build their families.”