SMA is medically referred to as Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It is an autosomal recessive disorder and is incurable, so SMA genetic testing is necessary. The causative gene for spinal muscular atrophy is located on an autosomal chromosome, and when the gene obtained from both parents is recessive, the causative gene is expressed and the disease develops. Spinal muscular atrophy is characterized by progressive muscle weakness, which gets progressively worse, thus seriously affecting the patient’s quality of life. There is no cure for this disease, so it is recommended that a genetic test for SMA be done during pregnancy to determine if the child is healthy. In order to ensure eugenics, families that have already had a patient with the disease need to undergo genetic testing for SMA to ensure the health of their offspring.