Genetics

GENETICS

Genetic screening of donors

The medical and genetic histories of all prospective donors are evaluated by our Medical Director. A prospective donor is not accepted into the program if a condition in his family history poses a risk of producing an offspring with a birth defect and/or a genetic disease in the general population. Any prospective donor who is found to be a carrier for a genetic condition that we screen for is not accepted into the donor program.

A carrier is an individual that carries one gene for a particular recessive trait. An individual inherits one copy of each gene from their parents. Genes are the blueprints that direct how our bodies grow, develop, and function. A carrier usually does not express the trait but, if two people who are carriers of the same gene for that particular recessive trait have children, there is a 25% chance, with each conception, that a child will inherit two copies of the same gene and will be affected.

Below is the current list and descriptions of genetic screening tests performed on our donors:

▪Canavan Disease (Jewish ancestry)

▪Tay Sach’s Disease (Jewish and French-Canadian ancestry)

▪Cystic Fibrosis (all current donors since January 2004)

▪Thalassemia (all current donors since January 2004)

▪Sickle-Cell Disease (African American / African ancestry)

IDANT can also tests donors for certain genetic conditions at the request of clients who know that they are carriers for, or affected with a specific genetic condition. Please contact the semen bank for more information.

Genetic Consultation

IDANT can assist you in finding a professional genetic counselor in your own area at no extra cost. A genetic counselor can provide you with an in depth analysis or your medical and family history, as well as the donor’s. In addition, the genetic counselor can offer an accurate risk assessment and genetic testing if needed. Individuals who may benefit from genetic counseling and screening include:

▪Women over 35

▪People who belong to a racial or ethnic group that are associated to specific diseases

▪People with a family history of any of the following genetic disorders:

▪Down’s syndrome ▪Muscular Dystrophy

▪Tay Sachs ▪Neurofibromatosis

▪Sickle Cell ▪Cystic Fibrosis

▪Huntington’s Disease ▪Mental retardation

▪Maternal exposure ▪Hemophilia or other bleeding disorders

▪Neural tube defects ▪Multiple miscarriages

▪Other chromosomal abnormalities ▪Unexplained stillbirths or neonatal deaths

▪People with a medical history or condition associated with genetic conditions

▪Stillbirths and neonatal deaths

▪Recurrent miscarriages

▪Congenital absence of the vas deferens

▪Azoospermia/Oligospermia

Please keep in mind that genetic counseling and screening may help identify couples at risk for certain genetic disorders but not all birth defects. There is no single test that will detect the risk of any genetic disease in a couple’s offspring. In addition, birth defects may occur that are not genetically based (e.g., environmental and toxic exposure, or random and unexplained) and may not be detected with genetic screening.

IDANT can assist you in finding a professional genetic counselor in your own area at no cost. Please contact the semen bank for more information.