WMS Facts

Can I Prevent Warburg Micro?

How can I prevent Warburg Micro in my future children?

Preventing Warburg Micro is not possible because it is a genetic disorder.
A genetic disease is a disease caused by a change in part of a person’s DNA.

Parents sometimes wonder what they did wrong during pregnancy or before it- but the answer is nothing.

             X   diet
             X   environment
             X   lifestyle 

None of the above can cause your child to or prevent your child from having Warburg Micro/ SPG69. 

What is prenatal diagnosis?

If you are worried about future children having a genetic disorder there are options:

Diagnostic tests

Chorionic Villus Sampling

–  When: 10- 12 weeks in utero
–  How: A needle is inserted into the mother’s belly
–  What: Takes a sample of the placenta tissue
–  Results:  Can take up to two weeks
–  Accuracy: Definitive results 99% of the time
–  Risks: Miscarriage in 1 of 100 pregnancies.
               Inadequate sample in 1 in 100 (the procedure needs to be repeated).
               Severe infection 1 in 1000.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis + In vitro fertilization (IVF)
–   When: Prior to implantation
–   How: IVF requires many steps like medication, egg and sperm retrieval, and embryo transfer . You can read about them here
–   What:  Genetic screening of embryos for WMS before implantation
–   Results: An IVF cycle takes 6-8 weeks, including up to two weeks for genetic screening
–   Accuracy: The screening is 98-99% accurate
–   Risks: Multiple births and its associated complications, ectopic pregnancy risk is increased, 
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome

What are the odds of having another child with Warburg Micro SPG69?

Warburg Micro Syndrome is an autosomal recessive disease.

Usually each parent has a mutation on only one of the two chromosomes. 

That means each parent has a  50% chance of passing on the mutation, so the odds of both parents on the mutation is 25% or 1 in 4.


“Preimplantation Genetic Testing”. Johns Hopkins. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/gynecology_obstetrics/specialty_areas/fertility-center/infertility-services/preimplantation-genetic-testing.html Accessed March 20, 2022.

“Chronic Villus Sampling”. Johns Hopkins.  https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/chorionic-villus-sampling Accessed March 20, 2022.

“Prenatal Genetic Diagnostic Tests”. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/prenatal-genetic-diagnostic-tests. Accessed March 20, 2022.

“Chorionic villus sampling”, “Risks of IVF”. National Health Service. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chorionic-villus-sampling-cvs

Last updated: 3/27/2022

Disclaimer: Families should consult a medical professional for genetic diagnosis, management and health concerns. We provide external links to help families and caregivers find additional information- this should not imply our endorsement or responsibility for their content. 

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