Rachel Donnell is back! However, unless you’re up on your genetic-testing-of-embryos science, you may want to hold off on this episode until you’ve heard the bonus episode (“56.5”) released a few days before this one. It gives you some background information that will make this episode a lot easier to follow.
In this episode, Ruby and Anne are talking with one of SRM’s genetic counselors: Rachel Donnell. Rachel is a certified genetic counselor with 7 years of clinical experience in the infertility setting and a whole lot of experience explaining genetics and genetic testing to patients.
Why are counselors necessary? Testing has never been a simple science, but it’s gotten increasingly complex in recent years as technology has made so much more possible. When someone comes in for IVF, they may be recommended testing to screen for abnormalities in their embryos. Rachel helps patients understand why they might (or might not) want to test, what the tests involve, what the results mean, and what their choices are.
Sometimes the result is an embryo with mosaicism. What is it, and what does it mean for the health of the pregnancy and the health of the baby? Well, with a name like “mosaicism” you can probably imagine it’s a pretty complex picture. For those considering IVF and PGT (preimplantation genetic testing), this episode can really help you understand mosaicism and what it might mean for the embryo.
More about Rachel Donnell: Rachel has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri and a Master of Medical Science in Human Genetics and Genetic Counseling from Emory University School of Medicine. At Seattle Reproductive Medicine, she counsels patients seeking PGT for aneuploidies and inherited genetic conditions. She is also involved in the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and was the Past Chair of the Genetic Counseling Professional Group.
Find more about Rachel, Ruby, and Anne at Seattle Reproductive Medicine (seattlefertility.com) and hear more episodes of The Whole Pineapple at https://thewholepineapple.com/.
