WFWW-PGD for Single Gene Defects

Wisdom from Wisot Wednesday

What Do Women at High Risk for Genetic Diseases Think of PGD?

PGD is an IVF technology that can detect chromosomal abnormalities in the embryos of women at high risk for anuploidy, as well as single gene defects in the those of couples who carry the gene for a serious disease. One problem in applying this technology is that it is not widely known that it exists.

A survey reported in the journal “Fertility and Sterility” examined women’s attitudes about the technology at a national conference for individuals and families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

Of the women surveyed, only 32% had ever heard of PGD before taking the survey. None of the women surveyed had actually used PGD, and 44% believed they would not use it in the future. However, 57% of attendees believed that PGD was an acceptable option for high-risk individuals, and 74% believed that high-risk individuals should be given information about PGD.
I am sure that if groups carrying genes for other single gene defect diseases such as cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy and Huntington’s Disease were surveyed, we would find the same lack of awareness of the technology.
The authors concluded that health care professionals who serve cancer patients should consider incorporating information about PGD into patient education. Further research is needed to survey physicians and genetic counselors about their knowledge and opinions of PGD. The same conclusion probably applies to couples carrying other single gene diseases.