Navigating maternal alloimmunization and having a baby with HDFN is a high-stress, difficult, and sometimes dangerous experience. Sometimes you may want to make a choice to navigate around these difficulties. What are your options? Molly and Bethany discuss options available to Allo moms and families, and Bethany shares her own past experiences considering each option and even attempting adoption. Remember, at the end of the day, the decision is always yours. 

Show Themes: 

• Making the decision to get pregnant again, natural or otherwise. 
• The options:
  • In-vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) 
  • Sperm donation
  • Surrogacy
  • Adoption 
  • Embryo adoption 
• Making a personal decision despite outside pressure. 

Reference:

• First cases of IVF with PGD for Antigen selection:

PGD for the K antigen in US, 2003: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0015028203011567

PGD for the D antigen in Austria, 2005: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/20/3/697/2356451?login=false

• Inducing lactation protocol for adoptive moms. Induced lactation: Can I breastfeed my adopted baby? - Mayo Clinic
• The Heart Gallery https://heartgalleryofamerica.org/

More Information: 

• IUI with sperm donation: https://americanpregnancy.org/getting-pregnant/donor-insemination/ https://www.healthline.com/health/artificial-insemination#success
• IVF: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ivf/
• PGD: https://www.reproductivefacts.org/news-and-publications/patient-fact-sheets-and-booklets/documents/fact-sheets-and-info-booklets/preimplantation-genetic-testing/
• Surrogacy: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/23186-gestational-surrogacy#:~:text=In%20gestational%20surrogacy%2C%20the%20embryo,starts%20with%20selecting%20a%20carrier. 
• Adoption: https://creatingafamily.org/adoption/resources/

Research for this episode provided by Bethany Weathersby and Molly Sherwood of the Allo Hope Foundation. Find more information at 

https://allohopefoundation.org

The Allo Podcast is produced and edited by Media Club