PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The World Egg Bank Inc. has announced the first testing of banked egg donors and recipients to reduce the incidence of having a child with a genetic disease. The World Egg Bank has partnered with Igenomix to offer clients the Carrier Genetic Test (CGT), an advanced testing method that uses cutting edge technology that can rapidly identify 6000 mutations in over 600 genes. These genetic diseases cause about 20% of infant deaths in developed countries and 10% of the hospitalizations of young children. Our donor eggs are shipped to Australia, Canada, the UK, across the U.S. and around the world.
Next-generation DNA sequencing provides a highly accurate analysis of the parents' DNA and uses multiple reads that result in higher mutation detection rates and fewer missed carriers over older, traditional technology. This test will help ensure that couples using egg donation are matched with a donor that does not carry the same gene mutations as the father which could result in a child affected with one of over 600 genetic disorders such as Gaucher’s disease, cystic fibrosis and muscular spinal atrophy. It also detects X-linked disease mutations that are present in about 2% of women.
“Patients want to reduce as much as possible the probability of having a child born with a genetic disease and this technology provides that,” says Dr. Kimball O. Pomeroy, Scientific Director for the World Egg Bank.
Statistics show there is approximately a 1 in 100 chance that a newborn will have a genetic disease if there is no testing/matching. These odds are reduced to approximately a 1 in 100,000 chance that a genetically matched newborn will have a genetic disease. With the CGT, The World Egg Bank’s patients can make crucial steps to prevent reproducing children with genetic diseases before becoming pregnant.
“It is a great honor to be the first in the U.S. to offer intended parents a way to help prevent birth defects and disease,” says Diana Thomas, Founder and CEO of The World Egg Bank.
The World Egg Bank will be at the Fertility Society of Australia’s annual conference in Canberra September 13 – 16, the annual meeting of the American Society of Reproductive Medicine in Baltimore on October 17 – 21 and the Fertility Show in London, UK, November 7. Come by the booth to speak with our team about the Carrier Genetic Test and figure out how it can change the world one egg at a time.
About The World Egg Bank
The World Egg Bank, founded in 2004 and headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is the world’s first frozen egg bank, serving the reproductive health community. The World Egg Bank works with clinics worldwide to provide frozen eggs to infertile women and couples. For more information visit www.TheWorldEggBank.com.
About Igenomix
Igenomix has broad experience in genetic and molecular diagnosis and is one of the world’s leaders in these techniques, with affiliates and labs in Brazil, USA, Spain, United Arab Emirates and India. Igenomix’s efforts in R&D enable the company to create and develop specific proprietary tools to support professionals in the reproductive medicine field. For more information, visit www.igenomix.com.
