Awareness and acceptability of in vitro fertilization with preimplantation genetic diagnosis as a reproduction alternative for couples carrying the sickle cell gene

Background: There are numerous challenges associated with raising a child that have sickle cell disease (SCD). Invitro fertilization with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (IVF w PGD) is a reproduction alternative that reduces the risk for giving birth to a child with SCD among at risk couples. However, awareness and acceptability of this option is largely unassessed in our environment.

Objective: To assess the awareness and acceptability of IVF w PGD as reproduction alternative for reducing the risk for giving birth to children with SCD among couples with children affected by SCD.

Materials and Methods: Seventy-three biological parents of children with SCD were interviewed with semi-structured questionnaire following consent at the Paediatric Haematology outpatient clinic of ESUT Teaching hospital Parklane, Enugu. Convenient sampling method was used. Data obtained was entered into SPSS version 26 and later exported to SPSS version 29 with which it was analyzed.

Results: Only 2 (2.7%) of the respondents were aware of IVF w PGD as reproduction alternative for reducing the risk for having a child with SCD among at risk couples. However, after education about the option it was acceptable to as many as 59 respondents (80.8%).

Conclusion: Awareness of IVF w PGD as reproduction alternative for reducing the risk of giving birth to children with SCD was abysmally low among the respondents however following education about the option acceptability was reasonably high. Increasing awareness about IVF w PGD is therefore hereby recommended as a strategy to reduce the burden of SCD in our environment.