Kavya a girl baby developed by IVF (In vitro fertilization) and preimplantation genetic testing with matching HLA (Human Leukocyte Antigen), as she can donate bone marrow to her 6-year-old brother suffering from thalassemia, an inherited blood disorder. Thalassemia causes low haemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin enables red blood cells to carry oxygen in the body. Low Hemoglobin causes patients to be anaemic.

By the end of 2020 the number of Cancer cases will rise to 13.9 Lakh

Abhijeet was born in 2013 and was diagnosed with thalassemia major. The symptoms include paleness, irritability, improper growth etc. At a six year period he underwent 80 blood transfusions. The permanent cure was to conduct a bone marrow transplant. Neither of his parents nor his elder sibiling have a matching HLA, which is necessary to match patients and donors for transplants. HLA are proteins or markers that the immune system uses to recognize which cells belong to your body, and His father, Sahdev Singh Solanki, on a detailed research to find treatment options came across the term “Saviour Sibling”, and approached doctors at Nova IVF Fertility in Ahmedabad, to save his son. Dr Manish Banker, Medical Director, Nova IVF Fertility explains the process as Sperm and eggs are used to create embryos. Once it grows for five days, it is sent for testing to check if the embryo has Thalassemia Major, has matching HLA and genetic testing is done to rule out any other complications. In all, 18 embryos were biopsied of which only one embryo was found to have matching HLA, normal on pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases (PGT M), and was thus transferred successfully in its very first cycle.

First death of COVID-19 reinfection was reported in Dutch

The result is a successful pregnancy, delivering a healthy baby girl, Kavya, who is a 10/10 HLA match with the sibling the first saviour siblings born in India, through IVF.  Sahdev said, “We consulted many doctors, but nobody could assure successful transplantation. I decided to do whatever it takes to save my child. I researched and went through a pile of medical journals and case studies of similar cases to come up with something that can save my child.”

How long does the immunity developed exists : Reinfection Of CoronaVirus