Love Guacamole? Love Babies? How Science Is Giving Us The Perfect Version Of Both

Welcome back to All-in with Allyn! Today’s post addresses something a little different than my normal pageant commentary or life as an American expat. What could it be about you ask? Well, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and I’m committed to bringing you content that I truly believe in. I’m excited to have partnered with CCRM, one of the world’s leading fertility science, research and advancement centers, to add some All-in with Allyn flavor to topics surrounding “cancer” and “genetics,” which are sometimes a little scary to talk about. This blog is particularly exciting to me because it involves technology that could potentially change the future.

If reading this is triggering PTSD from your high school science class, or you think it doesn’t apply to you, THINK AGAIN! PGT is actually modern-day magic and everyone should know about it. They even made a Netflix special on it, so it’s certified binge worthy. So…what the heck is PGT and why should you care? Also…how are guacamole and babies related?

PGT or Preimplantation genetic testing is really just a fancy-schmancy way of saying: “test the bun to make sure it’s healthy before you put it in the oven.” If you’re a visual learner like me, here’s a photo of the process:

If you’re sitting at home looking at this page like:

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. PGT is a process that is done in combination with another mouth-full, but more common acronym: IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). IVF is the fertilization of an egg outside of the human body to be later transferred to a woman’s uterus.

Couples suffering from infertility/single women/same sex couples, or a myriad of others looking to start a family, have utilized IVF for years in hopes of having a happy, healthy baby. Thanks to IVF, millions who would have struggled with conceiving are now experiencing successful pregnancies. So, why do we need PGT?

Well, millions of people all across the world, including myself, suffer from genetic diseases or so-called “faulty” genes. Those with inherited gene mutations can potentially pass on those same gene mutations to their future children. In fact, individuals that carry the mutated cancer gene have a 50 percent risk of passing the mutated gene to their children. So, not only do we have to worry about the consequences to our own health, we have to consider how our genes may affect the health of our children. This discussion is particularly important to discuss during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Scientists have now identified the BRCA 1 and 2 or “breast cancer genes,” allowing women the opportunity to know if they are more susceptible to breast or ovarian cancer with a simple blood test.

Those who carry the BRCA 1 or 2 gene mutation have an increased likelihood of developing breastcancer by upwards of 90%. Those are some pretty damning odds, especially for those with a family history of breast and ovarian cancer. This has prompted many high-profile figures, most famously Angelina Jolie, to undergo preventive surgeries to prevent cancer. As many of you know, I underwent a prophylactic double mastectomy at age 26 after losing my mother, grandmother and great aunt to breast cancer.

The discovery of genes like BRCA 1 and 2 has piqued interest in how we can create a future without these diseases. If it’s possible to identify these genes, can we get rid of them? That’s where PGT comes in.

Scientist magicians have created PGT which enables us to test embryos during the IVF process in order to identify those that may have certain genetic diseases or “faulty” genes. It’s akin to making sure that when you’re bringing an avocado home from the grocery store that it’s guaranteed to look like this inside:

While we know that many things can lead to disease and cancer, wouldn’t it be great if we could help our future kids out by giving them a leg up on their “life guac” by making sure that they’re starting out the ripest they can be? (To learn the “science” behind picking the best avocado, click here… you’re welcome)

Bucket List Item: Use macarena-ing avocado gif in blog post

But how does it work? Without getting overly technical, specialists at a center like CCRM are able to pull a tiny piece of genetic material (cells) from a five or six-day old embryo to screen for the genetic disease/gene. After the “healthy embryos” are identified, a woman can implant one of those embryos to guarantee that the genetic disease is not passed on to her future children, or even store for future pregnancies. Pretty incredible, huh?

As a carrier of a genetic disease, I am so grateful for clinics like CCRM who are continuously pushing the boundaries to help women like me provide a healthy future for our children. And that’s why I am SO EXCITED to announce that this month, CCRM is launching a new Hereditary Cancer and Disease Prevention Lab. With this new lab, if you are a carrier of an inherited cancer gene, like BRCA, you have an opportunity to eliminate the cancer mutation from your family tree forever. From fertility treatments to PGT testing, to egg freezing, CCRM is a unique fertility center that provides for everything to be done “in-house” – which increases the chances of healthy pregnancies and hereditary cancer free babies. In my opinion, that’s freaking amazing.

For more information and to explore your PGT options, you can visit CCRM’s website: https://www.ccrmivf.com/

Thanks for tuning in to the latest edition of All-in with Allyn! Check back later this month for more about Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

XOXO Allyn