S. Korea to allow more gene tests for fetuses, embryos

SEOUL, July 30 (Yonhap) -- South Korea will allow genetic testing on fetuses and
embryos for an additional 76 hereditary diseases to help provide parents with
more information on the health of their unborn child, the health ministry said
Thursday.
The decision raised the number of hereditary diseases for which testing is
allowed to a total of 139, according to the Ministry for Health, Welfare and
Family Affairs. A full list of those diseases is available on the ministry's
official Web site.
The ministry expected that the expanded testing coverage will help provide the
exact health conditions of unborn babies to parents who fear their children might
suffer from such an illness.
"Some people fear that the move might encourage parents to opt for abortion after
they find out that their child has a disease," a ministry official said.
"But actually it will reduce the incidence of abortion by preventing parents from
terminating a pregnancy simply because they currently suffer from (a hereditary)
disease and fear that it has been passed down to their child. Statistically, the
likelihood of a hereditary disease being passed down is only 25 percent," he
added.
South Korea allows for "selective" abortion if the health of a mother could be
jeopardized by the pregnancy, when the pregnancy was caused by rape or if the
parents suffer from a serious hereditary disease.
Since a bioethics law took effect in January 2005, the government has restricted
testing on fetuses or embryos to 63 illnesses. There has been growing demand from
parents that the testing be expanded.
The ministry said it will step up monitoring aimed at preventing the abuse of
such testing.
kokobj@yna.co.kr
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