Transforming Family Planning with Genetic Testing
A new genetic test is revolutionizing the way a generation of moms approach family planning.
Sarah Elizabeth Orlando, 33, knew she had to take a different path when starting a family. An in-utero amniocentesis had confirmed she carried the gene for fragile X syndrome (FXS), a common cause of inherited intellectual disability.
"I knew I didn’t want that for myself or my children,"
says Orlando, who has seen the challenges of caring for someone with special needs. She opted for 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, with three not carrying the genetic mutation.
Author's summary: Genetic testing transforms family planning.