High-technology utrasound equipment began operating at the Guantanamo Provincial Center for Medical Genetics to diagnose congenital malformations and perform fetal echoes on high-risk pregnant women .
The lines of work at the institution highlight care for prenatal genetic risk and neural tube defects, the detection of sickle cell anemia (sickleemia), as well as the determination of chromosomal alterations through cytogenetic studies and neonatal screening.
Among the actions, the monitoring of risk conditions before pregnancy in women of childbearing age and care for at-risk couples, who are provided with genetic counseling and preconception studies, stand out.
The work of this entity is complemented by a reinforced network of family doctor offices and polyclinics in the territory, where, through genetic consultation, the first care that pregnant women and children receive before, during and after the pregnancy process begins.
The economic, financial and commercial blockade of the United States against Cuba prevents the acquisition of medical technology of American origin or with more than 10 percent of components from that country, which is why they must be obtained in geographically distant markets and in many cases through of intermediaries, with a notable increase in prices.
Despite the shortcomings, dozens of congenital malformations, incompatible with life, were diagnosed during 2023 in Guantanamo thanks to the comprehensive studies carried out on women of childbearing age and pregnant women at the Provincial Center for Medical Genetics, which will turn 18 years old next February.
Traslated by Liubis Balart Martínez
