Genetic Screening for Single Gene Disorders:
A single gene disorder is a hereditary disease passed on from parents. This is a disease causing gene mutation. Sometimes you may be a carrier of a hereditary disease without knowing as you be a recessive carrier. If husband and wife are found to be carriers of the same genetic disease, their children have a 25% risk of carrying the disease. This genetic screening test allows for the screening of over 700 genetic diseases to identify if an individual is a carrier and may be at risk of passing on the genetic disease to their children. Currently in the UAE, couples are encouraged to screen for one genetic disease, Thalessemia. The test offered by Fakih IVF allows for the screening of Thalessemia and hundreds of others. If a couple is found to be a carrier, they may have their embryos screened during an IVF cycle to ensure that their children are genetic disease free.
Personalized Medicine:
The second genetic test Fakih IVF introduced is called Personalized Medicine and allows for a genetic risk assessment of over 350 medical conditions such as cancers, cardiac diseases, diabetes and much more. The difference between this test and the previous test is that this is looking for gene mutations that are not disease causing; these are mutations that have been found to be associated with different medical conditions. If you are found to be at genetic risk towards a particular condition, you may alter your life style habits now in order to reduce your overall risk towards the condition. Personalized Medicine is centered on the idea of encouraging individuals to be proactive in the approach to their health and to use medicine as a preventative tool rather than curative.
Both tests are currently available at Fakih IVF and are completed through a simple blood test. The results takes 4-6 weeks. |