Genetic Counseling is a communication process, which aims to help individuals, couples and families understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, familial and reproductive implications of the genetic contribution to specific health conditions. Genetic information is often complex.
Specialist in medical genetics is a healthcare professional who can help you understand this complex information so that you can make informed choices.
Specialist in medical genetics:
- might provide information about how a genetic condition could affect an individual or family and/or interpret genetic tests designed to help estimate the risk of a disease
- conveys information to address the concerns of the individual or family, helps them make an informed decision about their medical situation and provides psychological counseling to help them adapt to their condition or risk
Any individual can opt for a genetic counseling session to know the risk for developing genetic conditions or passing on genetic conditions to the next generation.
Genetic Counseling is highly recommended in following scenarios for an individual to make an informed decision:
- Increased risk on prenatal screening
- Before and after opting for prenatal diagnosis
- Either parent or a close relative has a genetic disease or birth defect
- Either parent already has children with birth defects, intellectual disabilities, or genetic disorders
- The mother-to-be has had two or more miscarriages or babies that died in infancy
- The mother-to-be will be 35 or older when the baby is born
- Family or personal history of malignancies
- Suspected genetic condition in family member