title: A proposal for reproductive counselling in carriers of Robertsonian translocations: 10 years of experience with preimplantation genetic diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carriers of Robertsonian translocations are at increased risk for infertility, repeated miscarriage and aneuploid offspring. In the present study, 10 years of experience with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for Robertsonian translocations is reviewed and these data are used to improve the reproductive counselling in the carriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was performed of all requests and cycles for PGD for Robertsonian translocations at our centre between January 1997 and December 2006. Data on the characteristics of the couples and on the PGD cycles were retrieved from the medical records. These data were recorded for the whole group and according to the sex of the carrier.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 111 couples made a request for PGD in our centre, of which 76 had at least one PGD cycle. In the PGD cycles embryo transfer could take place in 66.1% of the cycles with oocyte pick-up and positive hCG was found in 42.7% of the cycles with embryo transfer. The live born delivery rate was 20.2% per cycle with oocyte retrieval and 30.5% per cycle with embryo transfer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With a live birth delivery rate of 32.9% per couple, PGD is considered a good option for these couples, especially when there is a coexisting fertility problem. PGD reduces the risk of miscarriage and allows couples to have a healthy child within a relatively short time span compared with spontaneous pregnancies. However, for young, fertile couples, the chances of having a healthy child after a number of spontaneous pregnancies, should not be ignored.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 101, B-1090 Brussel, Belgium. Kathelijn.Keymolen@uzbrussel.be
authors.forename: Kathelijn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keymolen
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Staessen
authors.forename: Willem
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Verpoest
authors.forename: An
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Michiels
authors.forename: Maryse
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonduelle
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haentjens
authors.forename: Josiane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanderelst
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liebaers
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D002882:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 13; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000235:genetics; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000235:genetics; D007621:Karyotyping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D019836:Preimplantation Diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014178:Translocation, Genetic