Diverse Genetic Screening and Counseling throughout the Iranian Population

Abstract

Background and Aim: The recent decades have witnessed increasing possibilities for genetic testing and screening. In the Iran, since the 1970s, individuals and their family members could obtain genetic counselling for their own risk or diagnosis of a serious genetic disorder or that of their offspring. The aim of this study was to determine the results of screening for genetic disorders in Najafabad-Isfahan. Methodology: This study was conducted on 2,500 families of Najafabad-Isfahan. 250 of these families were randomly referred for genetic counseling. In these families, the degree and type of disability, the death of children under 2 years of age, abortion and stillbirth were investigated and genetic counseling and tests were carried out in some families. Results: The findings of this study showed family marriage have been 41% in students' parents and 31% in couples. The highest type of disability in order to frequency was consist of intellectual disability, musculoskeletal, congenital disorders, deafness, microspheres, abortion and stillness, heart problems, vision, blood diseases, CP, death of children under 2 years of age, hydrocephalus, metabolic and autism. Conclusion: Based on the results of present study it was shown that most disabilities happened in families with familial marriage or families with a history of disability and genetic counseling can be done by informing people at risk to lose the chance of having a child with a disability.