Couples turn to pre-implantation genetic screening to prevent diseases

Abu Dhabi, 27 April 2015: With the increased chance of genetic diseases passed on to children, due to the popular consanguineous marriages in the Middle Eastern culture, couples in the region are now turning to fertility centers to help them diagnose diseases and, ultimately, deliver healthy babies.

“We have witnessed an increase in the number of couples resorting to us for pre-implantation genetic screening in hopes of starting a healthy family. In many cases, patients are able to get pregnant naturally, but the embryo, unfortunately, is not healthy”, said Dr. Walid Sayed, Medical Director, Consultant Obstetrics & Gynecology (Infertility), at HealthPlus Fertility Center in Abu Dhabi.

Through the efforts of fertility professionals and clinics, the UAE has started to set best international healthcare standards, by making the latest technologies available to patients who can now conveniently undergo complex medical procedures where they live rather than having to travel abroad.

Recently, HealthPlus Fertility Center made a breakthrough in the UAE medical field by helping an Emirati couple, whom both carried a very rare disease called Pychodysotosis, to conceive a healthy baby.

“After continuous tests and trying, we were able to identify the genetic disease that was present in both of them and had affected their other children. To-date there are probably only few cases reported worldwide with this rare disease and we are proud to be involved in such a complex procedure of identifying this rare gene”, commented Dr. Walid.

Dr. Walid also explained that the center is making use of such innovative technologies to bring hope and comfort to families by helping babies born with diseases.

“One of our Emirati patients has a child that suffers from Thalassemia, a blood disorder in which there is an abnormal production of hemoglobin. Seeing their baby go through blood transfusion several times a week, the couple approached us for help. They wanted a second child that was not only healthy, but also an ideal candidate for the bone marrow transplant their first child desperately needs. She is now pregnant and we expect delivery over the next couple of weeks”, explained Dr. Walid.

Cases such as the above reinforce the importance of the compulsory pre-marital medical screening law passed by the Health Authority Abu Dhabi (HAAD) back in 2005. The regulation has helped reduce genetic diseases from passing on to the next generation of Emiratis.

“Couples are becoming more aware that IVF has benefits not just for patients who have trouble conceiving, but also for the ones who have genetic disorders that might be passed on to their children. With pre-implantation screening, over 100 genetic defects can be detected within embryos created through in-vitro fertilization (IVF), concluded Dr. Walid.