China urged to fund genetic tests for birth defects as mothers get older
NPC delegates want exams subsidised as option for second child leads to pregnancies later in life
Mainland health authorities should help fund genetic testing for birth defects as the government's relaxation of birth control policies is resulting in more mature mothers, delegates from the national legislature say.
Of the 16 million babies born on the mainland every year, 900,000 have birth defects, according to the state health authority.
In 2003, authorities abolished the compulsory pre-marriage physical examination, which included genetic testing. Birth defects surged nearly 20 per cent over the past decade. Experts said this was due in part to the cancellation of the tests.
Ma Duan, deputy director of the Research Centre for Birth Defects at Shanghai's Fudan University, said only 200,000 - just over 1 per cent - of mothers-to-be underwent genetic testing every year.
"People think of it is an examination for rich families," Ma said . "If the government insurance scheme covered all or part of its cost, I'm sure more women would have the check-up."
Ma estimated that the annual cost of providing genetic testing would be about 32 billion yuan (HK$40 billion).