Guest Blog by Dr. Bradley Miller, a Reproductive Endocrinologist.
SelectCCS is the most well-validated and proven method of comprehensive chromosome screening (CCS) for patients undergoing IVF treatment. SelectCCS improves the embryo selection process by accurately determining which embryos have a normal or abnormal number of chromosomes. The embryos with the normal number of chromosomes have a greater chance to become a healthy pregnancy and delivery than the ones with an abnormal number. By only transferring those embryos determined to be normal, patients and healthcare providers can improve their chances of success with IVF.
If a patient chooses to have SelectCCS she would go through a typical IVF cycle except after the retrieval 5-10 cells are obtained from a day 5 or 6 embryo called a blastocyst. Those cells are sent out to the genetics lab to be analyzed. The embryos are frozen while waiting for the results of SelectCCS. The transfer of the embryo/embryos, with a normal set of chromosomes, would then occur during the patient’s next cycle.
There are numerous reasons why patients may choose to have SelectCCS. One of the reasons is to help reduce the risk of a miscarriage. Approximately 50% – 70% of miscarriages are due to chromosomal abnormalities. CCS has also shown to be beneficial for women over the age of 35, couples that have experienced recurrent miscarriages or couples that have had multiple experiences of failed IVF cycles.
Lastly, by utilizing CCS, the odds of having multiple pregnancies such as twins or triplets are greatly reduced.
Do you have an important fertility question that you would like to ask Dr. Miller? Feel free to do so by visiting www.DrBradleyMiller.com, or responding right here on our site.
Dr. Bradley Miller is a Reproductive Endocrinologist who has been in practice for 18 years. Throughout his career over 2,000 babies have been born as a result of his care. He is the Managing Partner at Reproductive Medicine Associates of Michigan, one of the leading fertility centers in Michigan. Learn more about Dr. Miller and follow his blog to discover more answers to your infertility needs and questions.
Rachel says
Hi there,
I’ve been told that I should have the CCS testing since I’m 40 years old. I can see the benefits of it but I’m unable to find a clinic in Massachusetts that offers it. Do you know of any? I’ve had 3 miscarriages already and want to avoid going to another one.
Thank you for any advice you can give me.
Best regards,
Rachel
303-854-8280
Joanne says
Hi Rachel,
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m so sorry for your losses. After a quick search online, I was able to find a clinic in Connecticut that offers CCS testing. Here’s a link to their website – http://www.rmact.com/getting-started/fertility-testing/ccs-comprehensive-chromosome-screening. I didn’t find anything in Mass, but I hope this helps. We’ll be keeping you in our thoughts and we hope that you’re able to get some answers with the CCS.
Wishing you well –
Joanne