How to reduce the risk of test tube babies
With the development of IVF technology, many infertile families have realized their dream of procreation. However, due to chromosome abnormalities and other reasons, the incidence of Down's baby in vitro is relatively high. In order to reduce this risk, we will discuss relevant measures from four aspects: genetic counseling, embryo screening, pre pregnancy intervention and pregnancy monitoring.
Genetic counseling
Down's child is caused by three copies of chromosome 21 in each nucleus. If a family already has children of Down's syndrome, or one of them is a carrier of Down's syndrome, their children are at a higher risk of suffering from Down's syndrome. Therefore, genetic counseling is a necessary step before IVF.
In genetic counseling, professional geneticists can judge whether there is a risk of chromosomal abnormalities in both spouses through family diagram and genetic testing. If one of them is the carrier of Down syndrome, we can screen whether the embryo carries additional chromosome 21 through gene diagnosis technology.
In addition, for families with Down's children, genetic counseling can be used to understand the source of their risk and provide reference for future fertility.
Embryo screening
Embryo screening is an important part of IVF, which can help to screen the fertilized eggs without additional chromosome 21. Through embryo culture and genetic analysis, we can detect whether there is trisomy 21 syndrome.
At present, there are two main embryo screening technologies, one is the cytological examination of embryos taken from embryonic epithelial tissue, and the other is the detection of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Among them, the accuracy of DNA detection technology is higher, and embryo screening can be carried out early after pregnancy (usually the 5th to 6th days after fertilization).
The application of embryo screening technology can greatly reduce the incidence of Down syndrome and improve the health rate of IVF.
Pre pregnancy intervention
Pre pregnancy intervention refers to reducing the incidence of Down's syndrome by adjusting lifestyle and drug intervention before pregnancy.
On the one hand, both husband and wife should pay attention to the improvement of lifestyle, such as quitting smoking, limiting alcohol intake, reasonable diet and exercise, to improve reproductive health. In addition, some studies have shown that folic acid intake before pregnancy can reduce the risk of Down syndrome.
On the other hand, some specific medical examinations and interventions can be carried out before pregnancy, such as prenatal gene detection, chromosome karyotype analysis and immunological evaluation. These interventions can exclude the carriers with abnormal chromosome 21 before IVF conception and treat them in advance.
Pregnancy monitoring
After a successful pregnancy, pregnancy monitoring is one of the important means to ensure fetal health.
First of all, pregnant women should regularly carry out prenatal examinations, including blood tests, ultrasound examinations, etc., to understand the normal growth and development of the fetus. At the same time, further gene detection of the fetus can be carried out by means of amniocentesis or umbilical cord blood examination.
Secondly, pregnant women should pay attention to their own diet and mental health, maintain good living habits and mentality, and avoid unnecessary physical fatigue and emotional fluctuations to ensure the normal development of the fetus.
In conclusion, through genetic counseling, embryo screening, pre pregnancy intervention, pregnancy monitoring and other measures, the risk of test tube babies can be reduced. These measures not only help to improve the survival rate and quality of life of IVF, but also bring more hope and joy to infertile families.
