Global Breakthrough at Hadassah
Viable Pregnancy Achieved In Woman Who Carries the Defective BRCA2 Genes After In-Vitro Fertilized Embryos Are Tested and Implanted
The 38-year-old woman, who carries the defective genes BRCA2, became pregnant with healthy twins after her embryos, conceived using in-vitro fertilization, were tested for the gene mutation before implantation. As far as is known, this is the first time doctors have accomplished a viable pregnancy after this procedure.
The woman requested her name not be released, but chose to be referred to as “Esther.” She requested in-vitro fertilization because of infertility, and told the doctors that she feared that her children would be born with Down’s syndrome, that she did not want to terminate a pregnancy because of that, and she also worried about the higher risk of cancer due to her gene mutation.
After the ova of the woman were removed and fertilized in-vitro, cells were removed from each embryo, and the genes tested for the presence of BRCA2 and for indicators of Down’s syndrome by the Human Genetics Department at Hadassah, under the leadership of Prof. Yehudit Malki. Two of the embryos were determined to be healthy, and were implanted in the woman, who is now in her 25th week of pregnancy.
Dr. Michal Sagi provided oncogenetic consultation for the cancer-related genetic disorders to the Human Genetics Department that conducted the tests, remarked that “this new technology provides more options for preventing hereditary diseases such as breast and ovarian cancers.”
“The innovation is in our performance of two separate tests, one of which (the BRCA2) has not been performed before with the result of a viable pregnancy,” said Prof. Neri Laufer, the head of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, who manages the medical staff who conducted the IVF procedures. “This is a significant achievement for us, and it adds a whole tier of new possibilities for the adult woman who wishes to conceive.”