If you have to undergo in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in order to conceive a child, your doctor may offer preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD to be done on the embryos before implantation. This is a very important decision that you and your partner have to make. I was in the same situation 20 years ago and I can share my experience to help you make a decision. I am sure people will appreciate a true story from someone who has gone through the same experience.
My Experience
I got pregnant for the first time when I was 28. My husband and I were really happy when we had our baby boy so we wanted to have more children, but it was not possible at that time because we did not have the means, so we decided to wait. At age of 33, I thought it was time for me to have another child. I tried to get pregnant for almost two years, but it did not work. This was by far, the most frustrating situation of my life; I was not ready to accept that I simply couldn’t conceive naturally. After a long consultation with family and friends, my husband and I decided to see a doctor. This is how we resorted to IVF.
My doctor recommended preimplantation genetic diagnosis. At the time, this was a fairly new procedure and the doctors considered it to be revolutionary, but I have to admit that I did not feel quite comfortable about it. My doctor explained that PGD would prevent me giving birth to a child with a genetic disorder. I wanted to get more information from other doctors and researchers, but I couldn’t. The internet Access was limited at the time, and no information was available on PGD in the traditional media and libraries.
I thought about the procedure for some time and eventually decided to not use PGD. The lack of information made me feel insecure. As I was not sure about the procedure and doctors could not convince me about the safety. Just like all future mothers I had some fears that there may be something wrong with babies conceived in the laboratory.
What I Know Now
As the years went by, I have seen many babies born through IVF, using PGD. Now I know that this procedure for genetic disorder testing has become more advanced and that it can identify many more potential issues with the future child’s health. I also know that it is safe when performed by experienced specialists. If I knew what I know now, I would have opted for PGD.
My Advice
I personally think that preimplantation genetic diagnosis is a good choice, as it ensures that your child will not have genetic disorders. By taking a PGD test, you will be more relaxed during the pregnancy so the risk of issues like miscarriage, preterm birth and genetic disorders will be lower. My advice is to look for a top quality IVF clinic to ensure that all will go well with both procedures. Trying to save money on important things like these is certainly not a good idea. When you choose the right clinic, you will be in safe hands and you will have the best chances of giving birth to a perfectly healthy, strong and beautiful baby.
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