IVF Specialist From American Reproductive Centers Performs World's First DNA Sequencing On Single Cell So Defected Genes Won't Be Passed To Future Generations
Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) November 17, 2014 -- For the first time in medical history, a Southern California IVF specialist used DNA sequencing from a single cell extracted from a 3-day-old embryo to detect a genetic defect that ran in the father’s family. Double-board certified expert Maher Abdallah, M.D. of American Reproductive Centers in Palm Springs and Newport Beach, then implanted only the healthy embryos that, in turn, led to a healthy pregnancy.
“The world of In Vitro Fertilization has taken a giant step forward with this new test that offers prospective parents the confidence that their newborn will be delivered without hereditary problems,” said Abdallah. “While sequencing DNA has been done for years, we are the first in the world to conduct it on a single cell. And while sequencing has been done on animal tissue, never before has it been done on single cells taken from humans.
“Our first case involved a father who suffers from hereditary pancreatitis, a condition causing chronic stomach pain, nausea and vomiting that has run in his family for generations. He unwittingly passed it on to his firstborn, but did not want to chance of passing it down to future children.
“Thanks to this new advance in reproductive medicine, we conducted a biopsy on day 3 of embryo development where we extracted a single cell and used DNA amplification to test for the defective gene,” he said. “Then on day 5, we transferred the fresh embryos to the mother – the first time that was ever done -- and she is now pregnant with twins who do not carry the genetic defect.”
American Reproductive Centers are on the vanguard of reproductive medicine. Unlike other fertility facilities, they use the latest laser technology to biopsy embryos during IVF procedures, while 95% of practitioners use a chemical that can potentially cause harm and lower success rates. The staff also have access to the latest embryonic tests that allow them to test all 24 chromosomes to detect genetic disorders instead of the more popular and dated tests that only allow 5. It’s this technology that provides a success rate of 99% for producing babies without predisposition to Down's syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. The centers have helped patients from all over the world in gender selection, egg freezing, ovulation induction, artificial insemination and surrogacy.
In addition to their state-of-the-art IVF facilities, American Reproductive Centers are heralded for their compassionate care by fellowship trained and board-certified reproductive endocrinologists; 760-346-4334 or 949-309-3330, http://www.americanreproductivecenters.com and http://www.ARCBabies.com.
Jenna Satariano, Groff-Hinman, http://www.groff-hinman.com/, +1 (562) 491-1000, [email protected]
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