Chromosome Testing???????

[blueyezz4]

My RE is recommending Chromosome testing for recurrent M/C before we possibly move onto a 2nd IVF.  He said that he was more interested in, me having it done and didn't mention much about my husband having his checked.  Is this odd?  Has anyone out there had these tests done and what did you find out from it?  Did your insurance pay for the testing and if not, how much does it normally run.  Do you think it would be better for both my DH and I to be checked?  The RE made it sound like the female was most important w/ this issue.  If my test comes back positive does this just mean that I can't have a baby what-so-ever or does it mean I can't use my own eggs and we'd have to move on to donor eggs?  All of these question I thought of after our apptointment.  I'm just looking for any info at all that you are willing to share. Thanks!!!!

[Keria]

Hi Blue DH had his chromosomes tested it was just a very expensive blood test, I think that if your DHs SA is normal they assume that his chromosomes are ok, I'm sure you are fine as well but if they find something it doesn't automatically means donor eggs, they may encourage you to do PGD which it's not a bad idea even if the tests don't show anything wrong, I would if  I had tons of moeny. Did you have any of your babies tested?, anyways I'm sure your test  will come back normal but I undesrtand wanting to rule out any issues before proceding with another IVF.

[monkeyscience]

Okay, this is a combination of Google and biology teacher talking here...

I think they may be looking for chromosomal translocations. That's when part of one of your chromosomes breaks off and sticks to another chromosome. This most likely would have happened in one of your parents' gametes (sperm or egg) that ended up being used to conceive you. You could be okay, because you still have two copies of all of your genes. However, since you only pass on half of your chromosomes to your baby, your baby could end up either missing some of its genes (because it got the shortened chromosome), or with extra copies of some genes (because it got the extra-long chromosome). Either of those things could be potentially fatal to the baby, or could cause abnormalities that are not fatal.

As far as testing you vs. testing your dh... I think sperm with chromosomal abnormalities are somewhat less likely to survive, but chromosomal abnormalities definitely can come from dad, too, so I'd think they ought to test you both.

Just my 2 cents.

[julieven]

Hi Blue - I had some extensive blood work done which my doctor said were the recurrent miscarriage tests, I just looked at the results again and they seem to be testing for specific diseases as well as genetic abnormalities. Just a few of the list: lupus, diabetes, Prothrombin Genotype, Factor V Leiden Genotype, MTHFR Genotype, Cardiolipins, and a whole bunch of different blood clotting and blood function tests. My understand was they were looking for an underlying condition that could cause miscarriages. My husband was not tested at all. Although they did require his infectious disease testing, which I made him get done the same day. Please be forwarned that it was 12 (!) vials of blood, so make sure you drink a bunch before you go and take a snack for after you are done.

[blueyezz4]

Thanks Ladies for the info!!!  I'm actually on hold with the insurance comp right now as i'm typing this.  Being put on hold with them is scary!! LOL  Makes me think they are at kahoots and plotting against me!!! LOL... I don't trust them, it is sad to say!  So far it looks like it is covered for me, but then I called back to just check and see if by chance DH's  would also be covered since I forgot to ask while i had the first nice lady on the phone that seemed to have all the right answers for me.  So now this new lady is checking and reading in between the lines, I think.  Sounds like if I go to a private lab it will be covered in full, so I figure if mine is covered we might as well have DH checked too maybe.  I'd have to check with my RE to see for sure if he'd want that as well.  At first we thought we'd have to pay for it out of pocket like everything else so since he said mine was the most important I thought that was the only one we'd be able to do.  Well, now this lady has come back and is telling me a different story and is saying there is some kind of policy attached to this diagnosis code and I may need a pre-determination letter or something from my Dr. to get it paid for, even for me.  The real kicker is that she said she looked back to see what the last lady documented about our conversation about this whole issues like 5 mins ago and there isn't anything in the computer system.  I swear!!!!!!!   Oh, thank God now she found it under my name instead of my husbands.  I was about ready to flip!!! LOL

Julieven - I also had that blood work that you had done after our last IVF m/c and it was 13 vials of blood for me!! Crazy, I know!!!  This is actually specific chromosome testing, I guess.  I don't really understand all of it, but I think you can actually have a chromosome issue that will lead to m/c's.  So this is what they are checking for w/ this test. 

[Jane]

My dh and I both had chromosome testing done after recurrent miscarriage, 4 in our case. Insurance covered it - it was nearly $1000 each. Both of us were fine. If we had had issues, the suggestion was to go to IVF in order to make perhaps, a dozen embryos, test them, and only transfer the ones that did not carry the issue.
We asked for, and received, a suggested course of action for each test - what would we do different if it came back positive.
Immune issues - steroids and anti-clotting
Diabetes - sugar control, possibly metformin
Thyroid - fix issue before pregnancy
Chromosomal issues - IVF and pre-implantation genetic diagnosis
For lining issues - hormone support
For uterine abnormalities - remove a septum or fibroid
We skipped clotting tests due to cost and because it didn't seem likely given my family and personal history.

We ended up being in the 30% of couples with no explanation. But I'm now 18 weeks pregnant, after using femara to conceive. I hope you'll soon be where I'm at, too.

[blueyezz4]

Jane - fist off congrats on your pregnancy!!  Hope you have a happy and healthy 9 months or less now I should say!!!  Can I ask how you got pregnant w/ this one?  IUI or natural w/ fermara?  Thanks for your input. 

AFM - I'm just waiting to hear back from the insurance company now to let me know it will be covered. Fingers crossed.  The RE said we both could be tested, so we will see.  Kinda scary actually!!!

[Jane]

This one's a "timed intercourse" with femara. Pretty low tech considering there was an RE involved - no monitoring at all. Thanks for the congrats. I hope you're in a DDC soon, for keeps.

[blueyezz4]

Jane - that is awesome that you were able to get pregnant w/ the "low tech" method!!!!  Sending you lots of healthy vibes!! 

AFM - RE said to have both of us checked and now we are just waiting to hear from the insurance company if they are going to approve it.  Hope to hear some time this coming week.

[blueyezz4]

Well, the testing is done (both of us) and now we just wait and see!!    I figure I'm not going to worry about it b/c there is nothing I can do... it's all out of my hands.  You can't change the cards that you were dealt now, especially dealing with chromosomes.  Thanks again for all your info ladies.

[julieven]

Hi Blue - I was wondering if chromosome testing is the same thing as the karyotype test? I hope you get some of the answers you are looking for.

[blueyezz4]

Julieven- From just doing a google search on both of them it looks to me like they are pretty much the same, but I could be wrong.  Maybe someone else will know for sure.  I know with me they are looking to see if there is any kind of chromosome abnormality that may be causing our miscarriages or preventing us from getting pregnant.  They will also look at both of ours to see if there are any issues w/ the number of chromosomes (size, shape and structure).  That is about all I know.  Hope you are well!!!

[blueyezz4]

Just thought I'd update this and let you all know that we got our Chromosome results back today (in record time) and all is NORMAL they said!!!  Yeah!!!

[monkeyscience]

YAY!!! I've been wondering about that! Sorry that you don't have any more solid answers, but glad you can put that fear to rest!

[blueyezz4]

Thanks Monkey!  Yes, it is a mixed bag... there are times where you want them to find something (i didn't really want it to be chromosome related though, b/c that is a tough one since you can't really fix it), but find something that is easily fixed and would solve the problem and maybe answer all of our unanswered questions.  We will see.