A Historic Milestone for Malaysia — Welcoming the FIRST SCID-Free Baby Through PGT-M
On 8 December 2025, we gathered to honour a truly meaningful milestone — the successful birth of Malaysia’s first SCID-free baby conceived through PGT-M, who arrived in May 2025. Both parents are SCID carriers, yet with advanced IVF and precise genetic screening, their little one arrived safe, healthy, and wonderfully chubby.
SCID, or Severe Combined Immunodeficiency, is often known as “bubble baby disease.” It is a rare but life-threatening genetic disorder in which a newborn’s immune system lacks essential T and B cells, leaving them extremely vulnerable to infections. Babies with SCID often look perfectly healthy at birth, but without early diagnosis and treatment, usually bone marrow transplant or gene therapy, they can deteriorate rapidly.
For this family, SCID was not just a medical term; it was a heartbreaking personal loss. Their first child, born in 2022, passed away at only five months old. Genetic analysis later revealed that both parents carried heterozygous JAK3 gene mutations (c.184+5G>A and c.2743C>T), putting future pregnancies at significant risk.
Determined to bring a healthy child into the world, the couple turned to the multidisciplinary team at Alpha IVF KL, led by Dr Lam Wei Kian, Consultant Obstetrician, Gynaecologist and Fertility Specialist, together with Mr Steven Yap, Senior Geneticist. From the very beginning, the journey required meticulous planning, scientific precision, and a deep sense of compassion for the family’s experience.
The process also involved close collaboration with Dr Mohd Azri Zainal Abidin, Paediatric Clinical Immunologist and Allergist from Hospital Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah, UPM, who conducted the immunological testing and DNA karyotyping, and Dr See Beng Teong, Consultant Paediatrician from Thomson Hospital Kota Damansara, who managed the newborn’s care. Immediately after birth, the baby was placed in an isolation area for careful observation. Dr Azri carried out blood tests including TBNK profiling and further genetic assessments, which confirmed normal lymphocyte counts and a fully healthy immune system. At just three weeks old, follow-up genetic testing delivered the best possible news: the baby was completely free from the dangerous JAK3 mutations — not affected, and not even a carrier.
Now seven months old, the child continues to thrive, bringing immeasurable comfort and happiness to the family after a long and emotional journey. We were honoured to celebrate this achievement together with members of the MyPOPI (Persatuan Pesakit Imunodefisiensi Primer Malaysia) community, including President Bruce Lim, Secretary Karen Koh, and member Saravanan, who joined the press conference and shared their genuine support for this milestone.
This moment represents more than a scientific success. It is a powerful symbol of hope, a testament to how far reproductive genetics, medical technology, and multidisciplinary teamwork have come. With the right expertise and compassion, even life-threatening genetic diseases can be prevented, giving families the chance to welcome healthy children and build brighter futures.
A proud moment for the family, for Alpha IVF KL team, and for Malaysia.
“This success is deeply meaningful, not only to our team but to every family who has experienced the loss of a child due to genetic disease.”
“Through science, compassion, and collaboration, we turned what was once an impossibility into reality, giving this couple a healthy baby and a second chance at joy.”
“This achievement demonstrates the power of precision genetics in Malaysia. PGT-M allows us to identify and prevent the transmission of specific genetic mutations before pregnancy begins, offering families a chance to rewrite their future and prevent inherited conditions from affecting the next generation.”
“Losing a child to a severe immunodeficiency leaves a pain that never truly fades. To help a family break free from that fear, and to see them hold a healthy baby again, is profoundly moving. This success shows how compassion and precision genetics can rewrite a family’s future.”
We cannot change the truths written in our genes; just because something hasn’t happened before doesn’t mean it will never happen.
With no medical family history, we welcomed our first son, but we were met with an unexpected and heartbreaking trauma that left us overwhelmed with pain.
We began our IVF journey, guided all along by hope. Thanks to the Alpha IVF team’s dedicated care and professional support, we were finally able to welcome our healthy and precious little one.
At the moment, our baby arrived safely; I understood that love and hope truly have the power to create miracles. May our story bring courage, strength, and a warm light to families facing the challenges of SCID.
