Tests

A Word About Genetics

After you have completed your infertility workup and have been given your "recipe for success," you still run a 20% risk of having another miscarriage. This will most likely be due to genetics. If you should happen to experience an arrested pregnancy, you should make every attempt to have the fetus analyzed for genetic defect. As soon as you learn of your situation a D & C (dilatation and curettage) should be scheduled as quickly as possible as fetal tissue degrades rapidly.

Contact the Beer Clinic for instructions. Dr. Kwak will tell you where to send the tissue. Local hospitals are not usually equipped to handle such testing, and even if they are, the testing usually involves attempting to grow live cells from degraded tissue which can lead to inconclusive results. The method used by the lab affiliated with the Beer Clinic involves sophisticated techniques that are unparalleled in deciphering the riddle of recurrent miscarriage.

Instructions for Preserving Fetal/Placental Tissue & Genetic Testing

Have your doctor preserve the placental tissue in Formalin and the fetal tissue according to directions by the Beer Clinic.

You can have your own chromosomes tested at the University of Montreal via Dr. Tulandi. It is a simple blood test. I've recently heard that the Beer Clinic is now using another lab for this so it is best to contact them for further instructions. In Montreal you may have the genetic testing of the fetus and tissues done at

Procrea
1100 Beaumont
Tel: (514) 345-8535

Unfortunately, genetic tests for IVF patients to test their embryos for chromosomal defect prior to embryo transfer is not yet readily available locally. It has only been offered by

T-CART in Toronto
Tel: (416) 972-0110

and

Dr. Feinman in California
Tel: (805) 374-1737

Both centres remove a cell from the embryo(s) and send them to a special facility in the US where the testing is done. As of July, 2001 this procedure costs approximately US$3,000 and should only be considered for couples who run the serious risk of passing on a serious genetically related disease to their offspring such as Cystic Fibrosis or Downs Syndrome. There is another centre in the US where genetic testing can be done.

St. Barnabas Medical Center claims to have the highest fertility rates in the US.
Tel: (973) 322-8286

If you value this service, kindly consider a donation to the Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation (registered charity) and earmark the donation for the Newman Breastfeeding Clinic and Institute and/or the Goldfarb Breastfeeding Program.

You can donate through their website, canadianbreastfeedingfoundation.org, or by mail to Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation, 5764 Monkland Ave, Suite 424, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H4A 1E9.

Disclaimer: All material provided in asklenore.info is provided for educational purposes only. Consult your physician regarding the advisability of any opinions or recommendations with respect to your individual situation.

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