Is Genetic Counseling Right for You?
One of the more recent trends, when it comes to trying to conceive, is the idea of genetic counseling. Genetic counseling is designed to help people assess the risk of disease and other disorders in their possible children. A genetic counselor will help put together family trees, and look for patterns that might indicate a higher risk of certain diseases. A genetic counselor will also talk with people about their options.
Clients for genetic counseling generally fall into one of three major categories:
1. Pregnant women who want to know if their baby is going to be affected by a specific genetic condition. The may be worried about something like Cystic Fibrosis, or another disorder or disease. In these cases, unless actual genetic testing is done via an amniocentesis, there really is no way to be sure whether the baby will be born with a particular condition or not.
2. Parents who have children with problems like developmental delays or birth defects. They’re concerned that, if they have more children, those children could also be affected. They also want to have some idea of where the disorder or problem originated.
3. Patients who may have cancer or who may have a relative with cancer. Often, they might want to know if they’re at an increased risk so that they can take extra steps to prevent cancer for themselves or for other family members.
In some cases, genetic counseling may be recommended by a health care provider. A referral isn’t necessary, though, and you can call a genetic counselor on your own.
Take, for example, the issue of breast cancer. To have the test for the genetic mutation that makes you predisposed to breast cancer can cost $3,000 or more. Still, only about one in twenty women have this mutation. Instead, a genetic counselor can look for other risks, such as close relatives who had breast cancer at a young age, or other evidence.
A genetic counselor will also often offer advice about what you can do to avoid the kids of health problems that they are screening for, too.
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