# Karyotyping for MFI?



## LunaWop (Jun 16, 2015)

Hello everyone,

I was just wondering whether somebody could help. We had our initial consultation (as NHS-funded patients) with CRGH yesterday. They went through all of our test, but said that given our SA they would recommend karyotyping for DH. They gave us a letter for our GP to prescribe the test, but unfortunately we just heard back from our GP surgery this morning that they won't do it.

I have rung the clinic (and am now waiting for a call back from a nurse), but I was wondering whether anybody would be able to give me some information...
1) Can the test be done privately if one is NHS-funded?
2) How much does it cost?

Thank you all!
Luna
xx


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## ellieh17 (Sep 18, 2015)

Hi Luna, 
I work in a nhs genetics lab so hopefully I'll be able to help you. I'm not sure why your gp won't refer your dh for karyotyping. All.the gp has to do is fill in a form and either take blood or tell dh where locally he can get it done. The form.is available on your nearest genetics lab's website. There are four in London. Northwick park (kgc) covering nw London, great Ormond st, covering ne London, Guys covering se London, st georges covering sw London. search for genetics department and you want a cytogenetics referral form (you may need to look under bit for health care professionals. the test needs 5ml blood in a lithium heparin tube (green or orange lid nb bright orange not yellowish orange). test takes approx 28days to do.

if you want to go private then try tdl genetics - I'm not sure of their prices or turnaround times. 

any further questions please ask.
sorry for any typos doing this on my phone!!

e x


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## LunaWop (Jun 16, 2015)

Thank you, e!

Not sure why the GP has refused to give us the relevant form, but he is being an absolute pain. Since then (and after chasing them daily for almost a week) we have discovered that they won't give us the form for the CF carrier test either. Nor for chlamydia screening    

Anyway, ended up going privately for karyotyping (turnaround 2-3 weeks, though it is on the expensive side of things  )...and we'll probably have to do the same for CF. GP did say we could try to get the test done on the NHS via secondary care/gynaecologist, but given the typical timescales I am afraid it would take forever (and we might just see the request being declined again).

Trying to see whether we can get at least the STI tests through GUM clinic (HGP suggested we could), but reserve option is of course to go private for that as well...


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## Leenaj (Aug 12, 2015)

hi ladies 

my DH has poor morphology, we are awaiting his 3rd semen sample next week. do we need karotype testing ? what is it...? when is it indicated ?


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## LunaWop (Jun 16, 2015)

Hi Leenaj,

I am not an expert in any way or form, but what happened to us was that we were referred for IVF treatment (via the NHS) because of MFI (low count, motility and morphology). Once we got to the clinic for our initial consultation, the consultant there asked DH to do chromosome testing (karyotyping) and Cystic Fibrosis carrier screening to rule out possible genetic conditions causing the problems. Not sure whether you will need it, but it might be worth asking. I guess the worst thing about the karyotyping is that it takes a loooooong time (6-8 weeks on the NHS, 2-3 weeks privately), so might be useful to know in advance since it might mean that you have to delay treatment by a month or two if you discover you need it...

Luna
xx


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