Genetic Testing Offers Parents Individualized Fertility Treatment
Lucy X. Chen, M.D., is bringing her unique experience in fertility and medical genetics to CCRM Fertility, giving parents the power to make informed decisions.
December 4, 2024
Written By: Frank James
Dr. Chen grew up in hospitals and laboratories. Her two immigrant parents worked in the sciences, so she spent a lot of her time waiting for her father to finish with his patients at the hospital or for her mother to complete her research in a lab.
Thanks to her upbringing, Dr. Chen knew she wanted to become a doctor at a young age, but it wasn’t until she was in medical school that she decided to pursue a career in fertility. A guest lecturer came into class and showed an embryo growing from one cell to 200 cells. She was immediately hooked.
“I just fell in love with the field of reproduction,” she said. “I found it absolutely fascinating. I couldn’t stop thinking about it.”
Dr. Chen recently joined CCRM Fertility at its Virginia Beach location, offering couples a unique approach to fertility treatments.
Genetic testing
Dr. Chen is one of a few doctors in the country who has been trained in both reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) and medical genetics. This means she can offer a unique set of skills to her patients at CCRM.
“Expanded carrier testing is a test that’s offered across the board to any patient who comes in seeking information about their fertility potential or seeking to understand the reason for their infertility,” Dr. Chen said. “It’s simple blood work, sometimes a saliva test, in which we look to see if an individual is a carrier for a specific genetic condition.”
In cases where couples are carriers of a disease, Dr. Chen’s specialty comes in handy because she can offer counseling based on the results.
“My background really shines when it comes to atypical situations or complicated cases,” she said.
Dr. Chen can help those couples take steps to ensure a disease — like sickle cell anemia or cystic fibrosis — isn’t passed down to their baby.
In another scenario, if a couple has several embryos, Dr. Chen can use genetic testing to see which ones are “chromosomally abnormal, helping reduce miscarriage rates.” This is known as preimplantation genetic testing.
From there, couples can make informed decisions about their fertility treatments.
“Knowledge is power,” Dr. Chen said.
Patient-first approach
Dr. Chen often remembers her father putting his patients first, and she has taken a similar approach at CCRM Fertility. She does this by advocating for all of her patients. She ensures all of them — including LGBTQ+ couples and individuals wanting to be single parents — have access to fertility treatments. She also ensures her diverse patients receive individualized care.
“Treatment is not cookie cutter,” Dr. Chen said. “I spend a significant amount of time making sure that whatever treatment plan that’s being ordered for the couple or the individual is truly what’s the best for them given their unique situation.”
Dr. Chen said she’s happy to implement this patient-first approach at CCRM Fertility, where the team is “experienced, compassionate, and inclusive.”
“This is a journey,” Dr. Chen said. “It’s like Frodo going to Mount Doom in ‘Lord of the Rings.’ It’s not a sprint. It is not a race. It’s going to take us time, and we are going to work together as a team. We will be there with you.”
To learn more and book an appointment with Dr. Chen, visit ccrmivf.com/locations/us/va/virginia-beach.
