Overview
Genetic disorders are now becoming more frequent in recent years, affecting many families worldwide. These disorders may include sickle cell anaemia, thalassemia, and other inherited diseases, significantly impacting an individual’s health and quality of life.
From Preimplantation Genetic Disorders (PGD) with IVF for HLA, a couple may choose to conceive a child who is HLA-matched with an existing affected child if, in the future, they want to have a bone marrow transplant from the newborn. The child will be ready only after the age of one.
Luckily, this method offers a new approach for a couple who wants to have both a healthy child and also provide life-saving treatment to the sibling who needs treatment.
What is IVF with PGD for HLA?
IVF with PGD for HLA is a revolutionary approach that uses a genetic screening method to find embryos that match the HLA type of a sibling in need of a stem cell/bone marrow transplant.
Generally, Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a technique that is used in assisted reproductive technology (ART) to genetically screen embryos before they are implanted into the mother’s uterus.
The human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) is a group of genes that plays a vital role in immune functioning. The HLA helps the body recognize and target foreign invaders such as bacteria, viruses, and even unmatched transplanted organs or tissues.
HLA screening is a crucial step for bone marrow/stem cell transplants, as close HLA matching between donor and recipient is necessary. Therefore, there will be fewer chances to reduce the risk of rejection, hence increasing the success rate of transplant.
IVF with PGD for HLA Matching: A Step-by-Step Process
In the process of IVF with PGD for HLA matching, a couple and their affected child first undergo blood testing. These tests will help to determine whether the embryos are HLA-compatible or not. Also, if PGD is feasible, then they are ready for further processes. These include,
Fertility Treatment & IVF:
This step involves In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), where eggs from the mother are fertilized with sperm from the father in a laboratory. This leads to the formation of embryos.
Embryo Development:
The embryos are cultured for several days, usually up to the blastocyst stage, which is around 5 days after fertilization. At this stage, the embryos are developed enough for genetic testing.
Genetic Testing:
The embryo is biopsied on the third day of development when it becomes 6–8 cells. Then, one or two embryos are taken and further testing is done. In this stage, each embryo is genetically screened through PGD to know its genetic fitness.
Embryo Selection:
After testing, the embryos that are genetically fit for the sick patient are selected for implantation. These embryos have the potential to provide stem cells that can be used in a transplant procedure to treat the sibling’s disease.
Embryo Implantation:
Once the best-matched embryos are selected, they are implanted into the mother’s uterus in the hope of achieving a successful pregnancy.
Cord Blood Preservation:
After birth, the newborn’s umbilical cord blood can be collected and preserved. This is an important step as the cord blood also contains stem cells that are genetically matched to the affected sibling, offering the potential for treatment through stem cell transplants.
Stem Cell Donation:
Later, if you want to undergo a bone marrow/stem cell transplant, then it is generally advised to wait for at least one year of age of the child for the transplant.
Also Read:- Best Hemato-Oncologist In India
Benefits of IVF with PGD for HLA
Here are some of the benefits of IVF with PGD for HLA
- Life-Saving Potential: By creating a genetic match for a sibling in need of a stem cell transplant, PGD IVF with HLA can help provide the life-saving cells needed to treat conditions like leukaemia, lymphoma, and other blood-related diseases.
- Reduced Risk of Rejection: Since the stem cells from the “savior sibling” are a genetic match, they are less likely to be rejected by the sibling’s immune system.
- Prevention of Genetic Diseases: This is beneficial for families who are at risk of passing on genetic disorders and want to prevent these diseases from affecting their children.
- Ethical Medical Innovation: For many families, the hope of having a child who can act as a genetic match for a sibling in need is a breakthrough in medical care.
Success Rate of IVF with PGD for HLA
The use of HLA-matched stem cells from siblings shows a higher success rate. The cure rate for thalassemia when using HLA-matched sibling bone marrow is over 90%. In contrast, unrelated donors have lower matching; thus, there are high chances of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and morbidity and lower chances of success rate.
Also, the success rate of IVF with PGD for HLA depends upon various factors, such as
- Embryo Selection,
- Maternal age and Embryo quality, and
- HLA-matched embryo.
Also Read:- IVF Treatment Cost in India
The Future of IVF with PGD for HLA
Further developments in genetic testing and IVF technologies may offer even greater opportunities for families seeking to ensure the health and well-being of their children. As awareness about PGD grows, more families may explore this option as a way to ensure a healthier, brighter future for their children.
Conclusion
IVF with PGD for HLA is a new approach for parents who want to conceive a pregnancy and also want to cure their child, who is already affected either by haematological or immunological disorders. This innovative approach combines the power of In-Vitro Fertilization with preimplantation genetic diagnosis to select genetically compatible embryos that will also be helpful to cure the already existing affected child.
Hence, this method offers new hope and options to treat their affected child.
About BMT Clinic
BMT Clinic is a dedicated medical tourism company in India, especially for Bone Marrow Transplants (BMT). We assist patients across the globe in connecting with leading hospitals and healthcare providers, ensuring access to world-class treatment and care. We offer complete assistance with hospital selection, comprehensive care, travel arrangements, medical visa support, and also accommodation arrangements to ensure a smooth and stress-free experience for the patients.
Contact us for more information if you and your loved ones are seeking to have a bone marrow transplant or suffering from any blood disorders that require Bone Marrorw Transplant.
