2023-05-04 20:30:00
Do thousands of genetic tests
Lin Huixiang, executive director of the Family Planning Association, said that applicants for the plan must be 18 years old or above, hold a Hong Kong identity card, plan a child but not be pregnant, etc. (see table). She said that eligible applicants must submit an application form on the FPA website, and following an initial assessment, they will be diverted to a designated clinic for follow-up. If there is further need, blood will be drawn for genetic testing, and a report will be available in 8 to 10 weeks. Lin said that the plan will last for three years, and it is expected that regarding 1,000 couples will be interviewed each year, and regarding a thousand genetic tests will be performed within three years.
Zhuang Shuzhen, Associate Professor of Applied Genetic Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, CUHK explained that mutations in single genes or multiple genes may cause genetic diseases. Carriers of recessive genetic disease genes generally have no symptoms and do not know they are carriers of the relevant gene before screening. If both parents are carriers of the same recessive genetic disease, 25% of the offspring will suffer from the disease. Liang Deyang also said that chromosomal abnormalities and gene mutations can also lead to miscarriage, fetal malformation, and genetic single-gene diseases.
At present, the public medical system provides services such as prenatal Down syndrome screening or newborn metabolic disease screening. Liang Deyang said that related services are limited to a few diseases, or can only be performed following pregnancy or following the baby is born. Recessive carriers under this program can be screened for multiple diseases at the same time, and can be carried out before pregnancy, so that parents-to-be can buy enough time to prepare, describing the two as “big difference”. As for whether he would like public hospitals to be able to provide relevant services, Liang Deyang believes that factors such as cost and process must be considered. This plan will be a good demonstration.
Liang: Let couples prepare early
It is expected to be included in the public service
Mrs. Wang, a citizen, has experienced three miscarriages since 2016. Later, she and her husband were found to have recessive disease-causing genes through genetic screening at their own expense. Finally, they gave birth to their daughter in 2021 through in vitro fertilization (IVF). She said that “if you find the problem, you can solve the problem first”, describing the plan to provide pre-pregnancy testing for couples as a very good plan.
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