The decision to have children is one of the most meaningful turning points in a woman’s life. Yet, over 13% of American women ages 15-49 — and 1 in 6 people across the globe — struggle to get pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term. Fertility issues have become so familiar that 42% of people in the United States have sought treatment or know someone who has.
A range of treatments can address infertility, and genetic testing has become essential in that process. Our team at Progressive Care for Women, S.C., led by Drs. Michele Hakimian, Kate D. Nash, Alganesh Assefa, Matthew King, use many forms of testing and treatment — including genetic testing — to help women with fertility issues in the Chicago area.
To explore the advantages of genetic testing, let’s examine infertility itself, its causes, and what this form of testing can do to support you on your journey to motherhood.
While a large number of issues like hormonal problems and illnesses can make it harder to have kids, a diagnosis of infertility means either:
Primary infertility means you have never conceived, despite trying. Secondary infertility means you’ve had at least one child but haven’t been able to conceive since.
Both men and women can face fertility challenges. About one-third of fertility issues involve female factors, another third involve male factors, and the remaining third results from a combination of issues or is unknown.
Several factors can affect your ability to conceive, including issues like:
This method can be used at different points in your fertility journey:
DNA screenings identify abnormalities that give a clearer picture of what’s impacting your fertility.
Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) checks embryos for potential problems before implantation. This includes PGT-A (aneuploidy), PGT-SR (structural rearrangement), and PGT-M (monogenic disease).
If you do get pregnant, genetic testing can also identify possible inherited conditions. Carrier screenings reveal whether or not your child has an illness from one or both parents.
If you’re struggling while trying to grow your family, it can be heartbreaking, but we’re here to help you on this journey. Make an appointment with Drs. Hakimian, Nash, Assefa, King, and the Progressive Care for Women, S.C. team today to explore treatments.
