Carrier screening
Carrier screening of recessively inherited, serious diseases before the in vitro fertilisation treatment.
All humans carry genetic changes, or mutations, of recessively inherited diseases. In recessively inherited diseases, the child becomes ill if they receive a genetic mutation causing the disease from both parents. The carrier of the genetic mutation is in good health.
If both parents are carriers of the same disease gene, each child born within the family has a 25% risk of contracting the disease. If a person is diagnosed with a recessively inherited disease, their siblings have a 50% chance of being carriers of the genetic mutation of the same disease.
Finnish disease heritage refers to rare hereditary diseases, which are relatively more prevalent among Finns than in other populations. These diseases have become concentrated in Finland because of our settlement history. The carrier status of the most severe diseases of the Finnish disease heritage can be screened before artificial insemination treatment, in which case, if desired, artificial insemination treatment can be combined with preimplantation genetic diagnosis if both spouses are carriers of the same disease gene.
It is worthwhile to take the test:
- if you are aware of any family history of hereditary diseases included in the test,
- if you want to find out whether you are a carrier of any serious illnesses included in the test before you try to get pregnant, or
- if you want to determine your disease gene carrier state before the fertility treatment. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis can be used to examine and identify healthy embryos before they are transferred to the uterus if both parents have a genetic change that causes the same disease.
Felicitas Mehiläinen offers the possibility to screen for certain serious, rare diseases before fertility treatment. The test examines genetic changes accumulated in the Finnish population and you will receive comprehensive advice from our experts before the test.
Book an appointment for a carrier screening
If you are interested in the carrier screening, you can make an appointment with our infertility doctor. If both parents are found to be carriers of a genetic mutation of the same disease, we will refer you to a genetic specialist for advice.