In March 2014, Fakih IVF announced the introduction of Next Generation Sequencing techniques to their Genetics Lab. Fakih IVF is the first to introduce this technology and the tests it makes possible to the GCC. Next Generation Sequencing is 1,000 times faster than the previous technique, Sanger Sequencing, and provides the potential to gain much more information from the specimen being tested. It would take 1,000 Sanger Sequencing machines running in parallel with one Next Generation Sequencing machine in order to obtain the same output.

With the implementation of this technology, Fakih IVF has introduced two new genetic testing services. One of these tests, Personalized Medicine, has the potential to revolutionize our approach to the field of medicine. Traditionally, medicine has been used as a curative tool to correct an existing diagnosis. In recognizing that health is a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors, Fakih IVF has designed a unique genetic test that equips us with the ability to use medicine as a preventative aid. The Personalized Medicine genetic screening test molecularly examines DNA and determines the risk towards over 350 medical conditions, allowing for the customization of health management earlier in life in order to reduce the risk for future diseases and medical conditions.

The test is based on the presence of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). DNA is 99.9% identical between individuals—the varied 0.05% is what determines differences in appearance and in an individual’s chance of developing a condition. Personalized Medicine identifies the SNPs in your DNA and, based on the conditions scientifically researched to be associated with these SNPs, provides a risk assessment of your genetic predisposition towards the medical conditions included.

The identification of the SNPs is 99.9% accurate however it cannot be said with certainty if you will or will not develop the medical conditions later on in life. Gene expression is dependent on number of factors. The results from the Personalized Medicine genetic screening test should empower an individual to take the direction of their health in their own hands by altering lifestyle and environmental factors that contribute to their overall health.

The Personalized Medicine test is comprised of 15 parts including:

1. Infertility and Reproductive Health
2. Age-Related Conditions
3. Allergies and Immune Disorders
4. Liver and Kidney Diseases
5. Cancers
6. Cardiovascular Diseases
7. Diabetes
8. Body Image and Eating Habits
9. Daily Conditions
10. Intellectual Abilities and Social Behavior
11. What is my Ancestry?
12. Medication Metabolism
13. HLA Typing
14. Thrombosis, Blood Clots and Bleeding Disorders
15. Ophthalmological Disorders

An in depth look at the Infertility and Reproductive Health Panel:

The medical conditions included in the Infertility and Reproductive Health portion of the Personalized Medicine genetic test include the following:

•  Men: Erectile Dysfunction & Sexual hormone regulation leading to male infertility
•  Female: Premature ovarian failure, female sexual dysfunction, menopause, sex hormone regulation, endometriosis
•             o Complications during pregnancy: Placental abruption, Pre-eclampsia, Cholestasis of pregnancy

Identifying an individual’s risk towards the conditions included in the Infertility and Reproductive Health panel will provide crucial information for optimal management of family planning. Recognizing a woman’s risk towards premature ovarian failure before onset will indicate a good candidate for egg freezing at a younger age. The treatment for women at risk for endometriosis or sex hormone irregularities may also be dictated by their risk for these conditions. Men who are at risk for male infertility caused by sex hormone irregularities may benefit from supplements and lifestyle adjustments in order to improve sperm quality. The management of pregnant women will also vary depending on their risk towards complications that may arise during pregnancy. Couples and individuals of all ages would benefit from learning about their genetic risk towards the conditions included in the Infertility and Reproductive Health panel. As part of the post-counseling session, Fakih IVF offers complimentary counseling from a geneticist, dietary and lifestyle counselor and Internal Medicine physician.

Personalized Medicine is currently available at Fakih Medical Group members, Fakih IVF and Fakih Medical Center, in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.

For more information or to ask any questions, contact genetics@fakihivf.com.

About Fakih IVF:

Fakih IVF opened the first private IVF center in Dubai in 2011.The second UAE location was opened in Abu Dhabi in April 2013. As part of their regional expansion, Fakih IVF’s medical partners, Fakih Medical Center, are due to open four centers this year in Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain and Abu Dhabi. These centers will offer Gyencology, Obstetrics, Urology, Endocrinology, Dietary and Genetic Testing services.

Fakih IVF is the only IVF center in the Middle East with a full service in-house genetics lab, allowing them to offer screening of hereditary diseases and chromosomal abnormalities and Gender Selection. You may read more about the genetic services they provide by visiting http://fakihivf.com/genetic-testing-at-fakih-ivf/.

In 2013, Fakih IVF introduced the first EmbryoScope in the UAE, a groundbreaking technology in the field of reproductive medicine. They were the first center in the UAE to perform a MicroTESE: a procedure that gives hope to men with Azoospermia. They were also the first center in the UAE to achieve pregnancy successfully delivered pregnancy for HLA Matching for a leukemia sibling looking for a bone marrow donor. Fakih IVF has the highest pregnancy success rates in the region.