Prevention of hereditary disease

A number of hereditary diseases are amenable to treatment by manipulation of the environment, and the results of this approach are encouraging. Some of these conditions need to be diagnosed soon after birth if serious effects are to be prevented. Neonatal screening programmes are therefore indicated. Other hereditary diseases either defy treatment completely or else have an extremely bad prognosis even when the best treatment is provided. Recent advances in the field of prenatal diagnosis of hereditary disorders have made it possible to 'prevent' the birth of children with a number of these conditions.S. Afr. Med. J., 48. 1500 (1974)