Background

The main aims of the community genetic programmes are to provide prevention, clinical, and psychosocial services for individuals and families suffering from congenital anomalies and hereditary conditions, and for those who are at risk of having those disorders later in the life. To achieve the goals of community genetic programmes, it is required that the following essential tasks are implemented in the community healthcare system: genetic consultation and intervention in a wide range of issues, accurate laboratory and clinical diagnosis of hereditary disorders and congenital anomalies, preconception care, prenatal and newborn screening for early childhood intervention, and timely and precise estimation of the hereditary risk in healthy individuals (carrier and population genetic screening).