GCT: a genetic compatibility test

Thanks to this innovative screening, we can prevent the transmission form parents to offspring of over 600 or 3000 genetic disorders, depending on the modality

Most people are healthy carriers of one recessive disorder or another. If a person's partner is also a carrier of the same gene mutation, there is a 25% risk of the couple's child having that illness and a 50% risk of the child being a healthy carrier of it, meaning that there could also be implications for the child's family in the future. 

What is a genetic compatibility test?

It is an innovative analysis that tells us if there is a risk of the future parents transmitting any of the 600 most common genetic recessive disorders to their future offspring. As such, it is possible to avoid them being passed on. The expanded test format allows us to detect and avoid transmission of over 3000 genetic disorders.

NGS technology

At IB BIOTECH, we are experts in genetic diagnosis using the very latest technology. We have leading sequencers (Illumina ®) and a highly qualified team of human resources.

Nowadays, next generation DNA sequencing (NGS) is a fundamental tool in genetic diagnosis of human hereditary disorders that consists of complete clinical exome sequencing and specific gene sequencing panels for specific illnesses.

The carrier tests carried out by IB BIOTECH are among the most complete. On the one hand, we offer the test that includes more than 600 severe and early-onset recessive diseases. On the other hand, we offer an expanded test that analyzes more than 3000 recessive diseases, being the most extensive of the preconception tests available today.

 How is the genetic compatibility test (GCT) performed?

Using a blood or saliva sample from both parents its possible to extract DNA to carry out the screening. It takes around two weeks to complete a DNA and bioinformatic analysis that enables us to determine if the genetic variants that have been identified have an impact on clinical outcomes and, as such, are a risk to offspring. The report that is written based on the data obtained in the analysis needs to be compared with the one for the other parent in order to understand if both partners have mutated genes and if there is a real risk of transmitting the illness.

What are its advantages?

1.  Prevention: It is better to prevent than cure. The knowledge that parents (whether these are partners or gamete donors) are carriers of a recessive genetic disorder avoids transmission of that disorder to offspring.
2.  Increased knowledge and assurance: Up until now, the available techniques only facilitated analysis of a very limited number of genes. As such, they had a very limited cost/advantage ratio. The number of genes that are analysed increases in next generation sequencing techniques and this guarantees the patient that he or she will have a child that is free of more than 600 genetic disorders. In the last year, the possibility of increasing the number of diseases to be studied has improved thanks to the development of new technology. This has allowed us to offer a more complete test that allows analyzing 2306 genes and thus avoiding the transmission of more than 3000 diseases.
3.  Less costly: in comparison with traditional techniques, next generation sequencing allows us to understand a larger number of genes at a lower cost. The genetic information that it provides can be put to use throughout a patient’s life and can be used from a conception point of view for additional children in the future.

When is it appropriate to perform a GCT?

• Couples who are due to undergo assisted reproduction treatment entailing added physical, emotional and financial exertion and couples wish to ensure that their child will be born healthy. 
• In assisted reproduction treatment using donated gametes, gamete quality is an absolute priority and carrying out the test is, therefore, a means of providing this guarantee. 
• Any couple that is searching for preconception counselling that gives them the guarantee, before they get pregnant, that their future child will not have any of the most common recessive disorders.