Hi all
Would really appreciate your thoughts. I have 2 wonderful DDs and used to think my family was complete. Sadly 6 months ago my youngest was diagnosed with a likely life limiting condition (though she is currently healthy and hopefully will continue to be so for many years yet). We are obviously devastated by this diagnosis and are still coming to terms with it. Recently I have started thinking about a 3rd child. Partly because I could not bear for my eldest to be an only child in the future, partly because I want something positive and hopeful to focus on after the difficult 6 months we have had, but most importantly because I feel that a 3rd child would make a wonderful addition to our family. I also have friends who have recently had a 3rd child and am now feeling that all familiar biological instinct kick in. The complicating factor is that I would be worried about having a natural conception due to a 25% risk that any future child would inherit the same condition. I have thought about IVF with pre genetic diagnosis, but this appears to be v expensive with lowish chances of success in my age group (I am 38) - and even if we had a healthy embryo free of the condition they may still be a carrier. This has led me to consider IVF with a donor egg. I am not too concerned about the lack of a biological link to myself having already had 2 biological children, and the child would still have a genetic link to the family through my husband. We would also be honest with the child about their origins from the outset. Am I mad to consider this?