Will we have to have kids through IVF?

You may have heard of a couple in which one partner had a BRCA mutation having using IVF to have children. But is this a must? And how can it help them?  

Firstly, it is important to understand that couples in this scenario certainly do not NEED to have kids through IVF. In fact, the majority of BRCA carriers do not chose to have IVF.  

However, it is something that some of them may want to consider. The reason for this is that it can help them to avoid transmission of BRCA mutations to children  

If either partner in a couple has a BRCA mutation, there is a 50% chance with each pregnancy that the mutation will be passed on to the child.  IVF, used alongside genetic testing of the embryos and selection of only embryos without a BRCA mutation, can help couples to ensure the BRCA mutation is not passed on to their children. This process is called Pre-implantation Genetic Testing (PGT). It is licensed for BRCA and available on the NHS for some couples and can also be accessed privately. 

Couples may choose this option as they want to ensure their children don’t need to go through the challenges of being a BRCA carrier. Equally, couples may not choose this route. Instead, many (the majority in fact) conceive naturally and allow their children to choose to test when they reach adulthood. Both options are valid and a couple, with information and guidance from professionals, needs to make a personal decision as to which is better for them.  

To hear more from a couple who used IVF to avoid passing on a BRCA mutation to their children, go to our real stories page here. 

To read more about this topic you might find this article from Ovarian Cancer Action useful.