Jockey Club Genetic Carrier Screening Programme for High Risk Couples

About the Programme

Funded by The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust, the 3-year Jockey Club Genetic Carrier Screening Programme for High Risk Couples commencing in May 2023 is co-organized by The Family Planning Association of Hong Kong (FPAHK) and The Chinese University of Hong Kong — Baylor College of Medicine Joint Centre for Medical Genetics (CUHK). It aims to promote public awareness on genetic health, provide free pre-genetic test assessment service to eligible persons before pregnancy and offer genetic tests if appropriate. The genetic tests used in this Programme are Carrier Screening plus Fragile X or ChromoSeq, which can detect a panel of genetic disorders which can be passed on to their babies.

What is Carrier Screening?

Carrier screening is a type of genetic test to identify whether you and/or your partner are carriers of a genetic disorder which can be passed on to your baby. Carrier Screening is based on advanced technology and offers carrier screening for a panel of inherited genetic disorders.

What is a carrier?

A carrier is a person who does not have any symptoms or only has mild symptoms, but carries one copy of a non-working gene for a genetic disorder. Most individuals do not know their carrier status prior to screening. If you and/or your partner both are carriers of a genetic disease, your baby may inherit the disease and develop symptoms. The chance depends on the type of the disease and carrier status of the parents:

Type of the disease and parents’ carrier status	Chance of babies being affected
Both parents are carriers of the same autosomal recessive diseases	25% in all babies
Mother is a carrier of an x-linked disease	50% in male babies
Either parent is a carrier of a balanced translocation	50% in all babies

What is ChromoSeq?

ChromoSeq is a genetic test which utilizes large DNA fragments genome-sequencing technology. Superior to FetalSeq, it can also identify chromosomal structural rearrangements and absence of heterozygosity (AOH).

What's New

2024-02-23
FPAHK website service has been resumed normal.
The Association appeals to people who have submitted the online application form on the programme website from 21 to 22 February 2024, to resubmit the forms soon, we would contact you for follow-up. We apologize for any inconvenience caused.
For assistance and enquiries, please contact us at 2919-7733.

2023-05-04
This programme is now open for online application

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