Prenatal Genetic Counseling
What is "genetic counseling"?
Genetic counseling is a specific experience that the mother, or any individual, might be recommended to have whereby an individual with expertise in the area of genetics will sit down with the individual, take a detailed history, and identify if there are genetic risks, if there are disorders within the family that may be inherited, to attempt to determine what that pattern of inheritance might be. In a genetic session, the individual would be advised what the risks are for either acquiring the disease or what the impact of that disease might be on either that individual or their children.
What will be discussed during a genetic counseling session?
In a session of genetic counselling, the first item to be discussed is what the indication for the referral to genetic counselling was in the first place. Sometimes the referral to genetic counselling is a general issue, such as one related to maternal age. Alternatively there may be a disease within that family that the patient is concerned about that may be inherited, so a detailed history would be taken during genetic counselling that would not only involve that individual's history, but also her parent's, her grandparent's, her partner's family history as well.
How do I know when I need genetic counseling?
You might need to come for genetic counselling if, as a pregnant woman, you are over the age of 34, because that would increase your chance for certain genetic disorders in your children. You also need genetic counselling if you've had any family history, either on your side or on your partner's, of an inherited disorder that you are concerned might be passed onto your child. Another reason for genetic counselling would be if you were taking any medications that may increase the risks of any birth defects in your unborn child.
