Genetic Carrier Screening in Arizona
Serving the Scottsdale, Gilbert & Phoenix Metropolitan Area
CCRM Fertility of Arizona recommends carrier screening to everyone planning for pregnancy. Carrier screening is a genetic panel that can be performed on potential parents before pregnancy to see if they carry genetic variants or mutations, that could affect the health of their future children.
Carrier screening mainly detects three types of illnesses:
- mild conditions that can affect a woman’s ability to become pregnant or lead to other risks during pregnancy (e.g., MTHFR or Factor V Leiden deficiency)
- autosomal recessive traits that will only cause problems if the partner is also a carrier of a mutation for the same genetic disorder (e.g., cystic fibrosis and spinal muscular atrophy)
- X-linked disorders (e.g., Fragile-X) which typically affect males more than females because of the presence of a single X chromosome
Having this information ahead of time prepares patients. An abnormal carrier screen may lead to early testing of the fetus during pregnancy or preventative strategies like IVF with preimplantation genetic testing.
What Is a Recessive Disease?
We have two copies of each gene, one inherited from each parent. Autosomal recessive diseases are only expressed when an individual has two abnormal variants affecting the same gene. Many people are silent, healthy carriers for recessive genetic mutations because one normal copy of a gene is usually enough to keep us healthy. However, if each future parent carries an abnormal variant of the same gene, their children will have a one-in-four chance of inheriting two abnormal copies and can be severely affected by a genetic disease.
What Diseases Are Tested?
The genetic carrier-screening screens for recessive genetic disorders like Cystic Fibrosis, SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), Fragile-X syndrome, Tay-Sachs, Sickle Cell Disease, and many others. Such conditions can significantly affect your child’s normal development and health. Treatment may be available for some disorders, but that is not the case for every disease.
Family History and Genetic Disease
Even if you don’t have a family history of any of the diseases included in the genetic carrier-screening test, you may still be a carrier. The majority of recessive disorders occur in families without a history of genetic disease, and most people do not realize they are carriers until they have a child born with a genetic condition.
What if I Am a Carrier?
While carriers are typically healthy individuals, they may occasionally have mild symptoms. However, it is only when both parents are carriers of the same genetic disease that they are at risk of having a child affected by that disease. The likelihood that both parents are carriers for the same mutation is around 1%. Partner testing is strongly recommended if you are a carrier of a disorder of severe consequence.
What if We Are Both Carriers?
If you and your partner are both found to be carriers of the same genetic disease, your child will usually have a one-in-four chance of having the condition. If this occurs, ACFS will discuss with both of you all of the available medical options.
Risk-Reducing, Not Risk-Eliminating
Carrier screening does not and cannot screen for all possible genetic variants that may be associated with the disease. Thus, carrier screening drastically reduces (but does not eliminate) the chance of recessive genetic disease. Moreover, the test is not intended to diagnose diseases like Down Syndrome, which is a chromosome abnormality. Chromosome abnormalities usually occur by chance, but the risk of fetal chromosome abnormalities increases with age. The risk of chromosomally abnormal conception can be reduced with preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy screening (PGT-A).
Success Rates at CCRM Fertility of Arizona
When considering IVF treatment, it’s essential to be aware of the clinic’s success rates because they can provide valuable insights into your potential for a successful outcome, and working with CCRM of Arizona is no different. Our commitment to excellence, backed by world-renowned scientific research, ensures that our patients receive the best possible care. We are proud to share that CCRM of Arizona is in good standing with the SART: Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology and the IVF treatment success rates of CCRM Fertility nation-wide are among the highest in the fertility space. Our experienced fertility specialists and cutting-edge technology combine to provide our patients with the best chances of achieving their dream of having a child.
It’s also important to note that success rates can vary widely based on factors such as patient age, ovarian function, and prior treatment history. Clinics that accept more complex cases, such as older patients or those with prior IVF failures, may appear to have lower success rates despite providing high-quality care. Conversely, clinics that exclude these patients may present artificially higher success rates.
At CCRM Fertility of Arizona, we pride ourselves on providing accurate, transparent data while accepting a wide range of patients, regardless of their unique challenges. Our focus on frozen embryo transfers, coupled with PGT, consistently leads to higher pregnancy and lower miscarriage rates. We also avoid manipulative reporting practices, ensuring that our patients receive a true reflection of our clinic’s expertise.
Learn about CCRM Fertility of Arizona’s Success Rates (SART)
Finding the right fertility specialist is not always an easy task when you are looking for a fertility clinic in Arizona that can accommodate your needs. The providers at CCRM have a great deal of experience with different fertility issues and we feel confident that we can find a solution that will be best for you.
Cost of IVF Treatment in Arizona
In-vitro fertilization (IVF) can be a costly medical procedure that helps couples struggling with infertility to conceive. The cost of IVF treatment in Arizona can vary widely depending on the type and complexity of the treatment, as well as other factors such as location and insurance coverage.
On average, one round of IVF in Arizona costs between $14,000 and $22,000. This cost does not include medications, tests, and procedures associated with the cycle. CCRM Fertility of Arizona participates with numerous insurance and fertility benefit providers, and we also partner with financing providers and offer multi-cycle packages to help make treatment more affordable.
CCRM Fertility of Arizona participates with numerous insurance and fertility benefit providers. Our team is committed to helping our patients understand their insurance coverage and identify any potential gaps in coverage that may exist. We also partner with Future Family to offer financing options and offer multi-cycle packages to help make treatment more affordable.
INSURANCE ACCEPTED
- Aetna Healthcare
- Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS)
- Cigna Healthcare
- Coventry Health/First Health Network
- Humana
- MultiPlan/PHCS (Private Health Care Systems)
- TRICARE
- UnitedHealthcare
WILL MY IVF TREATMENT BE COVERED?
When it comes to fertility insurance benefits, it pays to be in the know. CCRM Fertility of Arizona will perform a verification of benefits and financial consultation for you before any treatment begins. This will provide you with details about your coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of infertility–including your deductibles, your plan limits, and whether you have any in-network or out-of-network benefits–so that you will fully understand how much help you can expect from insurance and what your financial obligations may be.
Insurance coverage for fertility treatment is variable and determined by your employer’s insurance plan. The state of Arizona does not require employers or insurers to offer benefits for fertility treatment. As a consequence, most patients can complete the majority of their diagnostic evaluations through insurance without major financial impact, but the costs for fertility-specific treatments, such as IUI and IVF, remain a significant out-of-pocket expense for most Arizona residents. If this situation applies to you, then you should not feel forced to choose a fertility clinic that contracts with your insurance company because the treatment portion of your care (the most important part) will not be covered by your insurance whether you are working with an in-network facility or not. You should instead choose the fertility center offering outstanding results and the best overall fit for your needs.
At CCRM Fertility, we excel in the diagnosis and treatment of infertility and offer competitive pricing and financial incentives to help manage the cost of your care. We do not currently contract with any insurance companies, but we do accept out-of-network insurance benefits and will work with you to minimize your out-of-pocket costs and maximize your success whether you are using a fertility treatment benefit or not. Very importantly, most of the initial workup can be completed through your insurance with minimal out-of-pocket cost, saving your resources for treatment if needed.
If you have any questions about your fertility insurance benefits or treatment options, please give your CCRM Fertility of Arizona team a call today.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact us. Let us help you explore your options and take the next step towards growing your family.