REPRODUCTIVE GENETIC COUNSELLING IN ONTARIO

Reproductive Genetic Counselling is a valuable tool to anyone who is looking to grow their family. There are a wide variety of tests that are available on the Canadian market that can be great guiding tools for you when making big decisions about the next step in your life. We know that there are a variety of different situations in which an egg and a sperm can be used to produce a baby, and we know that the prospect of having a child, bearing a child, or losing a child can be extremely difficult. That is why we are offering reproductive genetic counselling services to provide you with better insights and help you make informed decisions.

Meaghan Doyle, Certified Genetic Counselor, has joined our team to provide clients with compassionate genetic counselling throughout their reproductive journey. In addition to 1-on-1 sessions Meaghan is also launching three new information sessions unique to Femade, to ensure we get you on the right foot.

Genetic Testing available in canada

Here in Canada, genetic testing is required to be ordered by a physician. This can be your family physician, your OBGYN, your fertility specialist or anyone else on your care team. Odds are though, that many doctors - if not familiar with genetic testing - will not quite know how to interpret the results. Below each test type are downloadable requisition forms and ordering instructions that you can simply provide to your physician. Once the results have been sent to you, you can provide them to Meaghan in preparation for your consultation.

Types of Reproductive Genetic Tests

Preimplantation genetic testing

Preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) is a genetic test performed on embryos created through a fertility procedure called in vitro fertilization (IVF). With IVF the egg provider’s eggs are removed from the body and combined with the sperm provider’s sperm in the IVF laboratory, creating embryos. Genetic testing can then be performed on those embryos before they are transferred into a uterus to try to lead to a pregnancy. PGT-A screens embryos for chromosome differences that usually prevent the embryo from leading to an ongoing pregnancy. These chromosome differences could prevent the embryo from implanting into the uterus, resulting in no pregnancy, or could lead to a pregnancy loss. PGT-A has benefits and limitations, and the results can be complex. Meeting with a genetic counsellor before IVF can help you understand PGT-A better so you can decide if it is right for you. Meeting with a genetic counsellor to review your results can help you understand them in more detail.

“After years of battling infertility and going through IVF, the last thing we wanted was more worry. Deciding to do PGT-A and PGT-M gave me peace of mind during an exceptionally stressful time. Now I have a happy, healthy baby!”

— Amanda (Patient)

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Monogenic Conditions (PGT-M) is another genetic test that can be performed on embryos created through IVF. It is used when the egg and/or sperm provider have a genetic condition themselves, or are carriers of a genetic condition. In these situations their future children are at a high risk of inheriting that genetic condition. PGT-M can be used to determine which embryos are expected to develop that condition in the future and which aren't. Embryos identified as low risk can be transferred into a uterus to try to achieve a pregnancy free from the condition in question.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing for Structural Rearrangements (PGT-SR) is another genetic test that can be performed on embryos created through IVF. If the egg or sperm provider has been found to carry a chromosome rearrangement, such as a translocation or inversion, they will have an increased chance of creating embryos with unbalanced chromosomes. Embryos with unbalanced chromosomes often fail to implant into the uterus, lead to a pregnancy loss, or lead to the birth of a child with a genetic condition. PGT-SR can identify which embryos have balanced chromosomes, prioritizing these embryos for transfer into a uterus to try to increase the chance of an ongoing pregnancy.