A blood test that screens couples for thousands of genetic flaws which they could pass on to a baby is to go on sale . Couples will be told if the combination of their genes puts them at risk of having a child with an incurable disease . The compatibility test can flag up more than 600 conditions , including some that kill within the first years of life . If couples are told they are at risk of having a child whose life would be blighted by ill-health , they can decide whether to adopt , have IVF treatment or go ahead and get pregnant naturally . New test : Couples will be told if the combination of their genes puts them at risk of having a child with an incurable disease . Spanish firm iGenomix , which developed the test , says pre-pregnancy genetic screening could soon become as commonplace as ultrasound scans . The company ’ s test is designed to give peace of mind , but at £1,800 per couple – £900 per person – it doesn ’ t come cheap . Plus , there are concerns people will become stigmatised simply because they are carrying the ‘ wrong genes ’ . Critics also say it panders to those who believe the only acceptable child is a perfect one . The NHS does pre-pregnancy testing but focuses on people with a family history of just a few conditions . The new test , which will be available at Randox Health clinics in London and Northern Ireland from May , checks for thousands of faulty pieces of DNA . Conditions include cystic fibrosis , which is carried by one in 25 Britons , as well as rarer conditions that cause blindness , blood disorders and life-threatening hormonal problems . Conditions such as autism , Alzheimer ’ s disease and diabetes are not included . Spanish firm iGenomix , which developed the test , says pre-pregnancy genetic screening could soon become as commonplace as ultrasound scans . The test is aimed at people who are carriers of disease genes , meaning they will not have symptoms themselves and may even be unaware of the problem lurking in their DNA . Most people have several disease genes and a recent study by iGenomix found that 8 per cent of couples were ‘ clinically incompatible ’ , meaning both had the same faulty DNA . Such couples would be told there was a one in four chance of their child being ill and counselled on their options . These include an IVF technique , in which only healthy embryos are implanted in the womb , the use of donor eggs or sperm or adoption . Some women may opt to get pregnant naturally and abort later . Dr Peter FitzGerald , managing director of Randox Health , said : ‘ Our wide-ranging new screen will detect potential problems before pregnancy by obtaining information from both parents . With this test , we can alert prospective parents to the risk of serious genetic conditions. ’ There is another pre-pregnancy test available privately but it checks for only 100 diseases . Philippa Taylor , of the Christian Medical Fellowship , said the limited and expensive options available to couples who ‘ fail ’ the test could push them toward getting pregnant naturally – and aborting if the baby is unhealthy . She added : ‘ This test is going to create further anxiety through the over-medicalisation of pregnancy. ’ Dr David King , of campaign group Human Genetics Alert , warned that if testing became popular , couples could feel pressurised to use it to avoid having children with genetic conditions . He added : ‘ That will lead to a society in which parents with disabled children will be blamed and disability will become less and less acceptable . We need regulation and ethical debate before such tests are introduced . ’
The vaccine is aimed at people who are unaware of disease genes . parents will rule out risks of their child having an incurable conditions . Spanish firm iGenomix will advise and say it will become standard . But some fear children will be stigmatised simply for carrying ‘ wrong genes ’