Fertility Answers - Helping Build Families

Jade & Lukas: IVF and PGT-M for Cystic Fibrosis

A family history of cystic fibrosis encouraged Jade to look into IVF and PGT-M for CF

“It all started when I was eight weeks pregnant with my first baby,” said Jade remembering back to around 2016. Her sister-in-law tested positive as a carrier for the cystic fibrosis gene. Since cystic fibrosis is an inheritable genetic disorder, her sister-in-law recommended that Jade and her husband, Lukas, also get tested.

After Jade and Lukas underwent a simple blood test for cystic fibrosis, they discovered that both of them carried the gene. The couple grew nervous, as they wondered if their baby would have the genetic disorder.

Jade visited her doctor for regular ultrasound screenings. However, the couple decided not to have their doctor perform genetic testing on their baby, since testing could harm it. “Besides, there was nothing we could do even if our baby did have cystic fibrosis,” said Jade.

Waiting to give birth was stressful, but their daughter, Ezra, was born healthy. After Ezra was born, the couple knew that they wanted to have more children. According to Jade, “Lukas is one of 14 and I have one sister, so we always knew we wanted a big family.”

When Jade mentioned wanting to have more children, her doctor recommended in vitro fertilization, IVF, and preimplantation genetic testing for monogenetic disease, or PGT-M, with John Storment, M.D. Jade then scheduled an appointment with our Lafayette fertility center.

Jade started the process of IVF and PGT-M for CF shortly after having her first baby

FALA Patient Story - Jade Perere - IVF and PGD for CFJade immediately knew that she wanted to proceed with IVF and PGT-M with Dr. Storment at our Lafayette fertility center. According to Jade, “Dr. Storment is so nice and intelligent. He helped me understand the process and he answered all of my questions. He’s so detail-oriented and professional, and he made me feel comfortable.”

In January 2017, Jade started taking fertility medications. At first, it seemed overwhelming, but the nurses at Fertility Answers made the process easier. “They were always helpful and they walked me through everything.”

Dr. Storment monitored Jade to determine when to perform egg retrieval. When the time was right, he retrieved 15 eggs and 13 of them were mature enough to be fertilized by Lukas’ sperm. Out of those eggs, eight continued to grow and were sent to the reference genetics lab for PGT-M.

“The genetics lab was great; the geneticist called me and explained everything,” said Jade. One embryo came back inconclusive and was set aside for further testing, one tested positive for cystic fibrosis, and one had chromosomal abnormalities. This left five embryos that were healthy and genetically normal.

Jade underwent her first embryo transfer soon after and conceived and delivered a healthy baby girl. About a year and a half later the couple did another transfer and again delivered a healthy baby girl. Their additional embryos they will use in the future to add to their family. “We are so happy and excited,” said Jade. “Nothing is for certain, but the doctors were optimistic.”

Jade recommends IVF with PGT-M for patients who carry a genetic disorder

Finding out that you could transmit a genetic disorder to your child can be stressful; however, IVF with PGT-M can provide peace of mind. According to Jade, “Some people want to chance it due to their finances, but I would definitely recommend IVF. It’s worth it to get you and your husband tested. It’s worth every penny.”

Jade is excited about the future of her growing family. “I wouldn’t want to go through another pregnancy like my first one.” It’s all thanks to IVF and PGT-M at Fertility Answers.

If you would like to learn more about IVF and PGT-M for CF at Fertility Answers, please contact us today to schedule an appointment. Our team of physicians is here to help you have a healthy family.

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