Abstract
This article discusses birth defect intervention and genetic services as measures of intervention in China. Based on the practical application of a three-level intervention model, it analyses the important roles played by genetic services in the areas of premarital, pregestational and prenatal genetic screening, genetic counselling, and testing in the prevention of birth defects in China. It demonstrates that since there is imbalanced development in different areas of China, genetic services are underutilised. In practice, the intervention model has problems and is facing difficulties and challenges. And, given the national desire to reduce birth defects, nondirectiveness is not getting the attention deserved in genetic counselling. An insufficiency of psychological support and humanistic care in genetic services, and lack of social and financial support for the children with birth defects and their families still exists widely in China.
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Sui, S. Genetic services and birth defect intervention in China. BioSocieties 10, 341–351 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1057/biosoc.2015.21
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/biosoc.2015.21