YouTube channel ‘Acquaintance of an Acquaintance’

Actress Moon Ji-in disclosed why she came to undergo a test for the hereditary risk of developmental disabilities ahead of giving birth.

On the 12th, the YouTube channel ‘Acquaintance of an Acquaintance’ posted a video titled “Are you saying my younger brother’s developmental disability could be genetic? The sudden reason I ended up getting a genetic test..”.

Due to give birth to a son in August, Moon Ji-in visited an OB-GYN clinic that day for a routine checkup. She said she felt relieved after confirming the fetus’s health, but at the end of the appointment, she heard something unexpected.

Moon Ji-in said, “The doctor suddenly suggested we do one more test. It is called Fragile X syndrome, and just in case, they said it can be inherited through the mother and cause autism or developmental disabilities. But I have a younger brother.”

Having previously introduced her younger brother with a developmental disability through several broadcasts, she explained, “We are doing this just in case because they say it is inherited through the mother. If you are having a boy, the likelihood is more strongly affected. As my mother’s daughter and since I am pregnant with a son, they said it could be a 25% chance.”

YouTube channel ‘Acquaintance of an Acquaintance’

Moon Ji-in said, “After finishing the birth defect screening and the NIFTY test, I thought anything acquired after birth was something I could not help. But when they said this could be genetic, it was a test I had never even considered,” revealing her complicated feelings. She added, “I heard my brother’s condition was acquired. He was born prematurely, at seven months.”

Her husband Kim Ki-ri also admitted feeling anxious while waiting for the results. He said, “There is no evidence that my mother-in-law or brother-in-law has the syndrome, but I worried just in case,” adding, “When I looked up the related traits, I saw parts that seemed similar to my brother-in-law, which weighed on me.”

Moon Ji-in also mentioned the reactions she encountered after appearing on a show with her brother in the past. She confessed, “Rather than getting upset when I saw comments like ‘Isn’t it genetic?’ and ‘What about Kim Ki-ri?’, I found myself worrying without realizing it.”

The family said they were on edge for about ten days until the test results came out. Moon Ji-in said, “My mom worried a lot that her grandchild might be affected,” adding, “We really went through a lot for those ten days.”

Fortunately, the results were normal. The medical staff explained that both the Fragile X syndrome test and the neural tube defect test were low risk. After confirming the results, Moon Ji-in eventually shed tears and said, “They say it is not hereditary,” and, “I am so grateful. There may be other tests, but I have put down my biggest fear.”

Meanwhile, Moon Ji-in and Kim Ki-ri married in May of last year, and they are expected to welcome their first son this August.