Lieutenant Commander Sylvie Doucet - There's Always Some Risk
V'Nille
(( Chief Medical Officer’s Office, Main Sickbay, Deck 5, USS Valkyrie-A ))
Sylvie had been surprised when she got Is’Kah’s request for an appointment, but once she understood the reason for it, the surprise faded quickly. They were aware of Is’Kah’s desire to have a baby and pleasantly enough, it seemed Doctor Edrei already did the ground work necessary to plot it all out. It would just be on Sylvie now to put that into practice.
They were reviewing the documentation one last time when the door to the office chimed.
Doucet: Come in!
They stood up briefly to receive their guests, gesturing for them to take a seat before sitting back down.
Is’Kah: Thank you for seeing us, Sylvie.
Xiron: Response
Doucet: Of course, Is’Kah! I am glad you are entrusting me with this.
Is’Kah: According to the message I received, the research required to blend our DNA is done. Are there any concerns we should be aware of?
Xiron: Response
Sylvie nodded before using the desk to pull up a holographic display showing what she was about to talk about. They took a deep breath and did a mental check to make sure their carefully neutral expression was in place. This part wasn’t fun, but as the mother, Is’Kah would need to be aware of this.
Doucet: As you’re aware, there is always a risk of complications that comes with pregnancy for both the baby and the mother. Modern medicine has either eliminated or minimized pretty much all of them, but as a medical professional, I hesitate to say that there is zero risk of something happening. This is especially true with hybrid pregnancies because of the inherently random chance of mutations and, well, just how bodies work. As well, the risk of complications grows significantly with the more that has to be blended together. With me so far?
Is’Kah / Xiron: Response
Doucet: Right! I expected you would have done your homework. I’m pleased you have. As you’re also aware, there is a ban on genetic engineering in the Federation. There are exceptions for health and reproduction and we are working within those exceptions to make this possible. So I can make this happen but I can’t guarantee that something won’t crop up regardless. We’re dealing with Trill, Vulcan, and Andorian genetics, and while there are broad similarities, there are also key differences that have the potential to play havoc with the pregnancy and the baby’s development. I don’t anticipate anything to happen barring some unforeseen event. My goal here isn’t to scare you off from the prospect. You just need to be aware that there are risks associated with this that we cannot guarantee a complete elimination of and that will necessitate close monitoring of the pregnancy from conception to birth so that we can intervene if necessary.
The doctor personally disliked having to hedge any bets here. They also knew plenty of doctors that wouldn’t warn patients in this scenario or gloss over it for various reasons, but Is’Kah and her wife seemed to be the sort that would appreciate going over everything. Sylvie was genuinely confident, though, that barring some edge case or extraordinary event, the pregnancy could be safely carried to term and Is’Kah would have her baby at the end of this. Edrei’s work was thorough and they had just about everything else they could need, so far as they could tell.
Is’Kah / Xiron: Response
They nodded and leaned back slightly, letting themself relax a bit more. They smiled at both of the others.
Doucet: Good. I will say I am confident in the process. Doctor Edrei’s work was thorough. I’ve double checked everything. You and Ghee’looth are in perfect health. We have some of the best medical facilities in Starfleet on board this ship and all the information we’d need to make this happen. All that is left is to start the process. We can do that anytime you’d like. Do you have any questions about any of this?
Is’Kah / Xiron: Response