Do I need Genetic Counseling

Many couples who become pregnant find out that they need genetic counseling. There are all kinds of blood and urine tests, family history questions, medical exams and prenatal tests that can help determine if you and your partner need genetic counseling. Genetic counseling will help you determine the health of you and your baby, protecting against and preventing certain health risks.
You and your health care provider may determine that genetic testing could help you identify certain genetic diseases and disorders that may affect your child. Genetic testing can help identify Down Syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida and sickle cell disease. If you are at risk for having a child with any of these problems, then your doctor may suggest going to genetic counseling.
A genetic counselor will evaluate the health and family history of you and your partner. Based on the information collected, or lack of information available, the genetic counselor may suggest certain genetic testing. The counselor will help you decide which risks are worth taking, but the final decisions will be up to you and your partner. Genetic counselors are experienced in dealing with these types of tough decisions and delicate matters. They can help you cope with any emotional distress that you may be feeling.
Gene testing on you and your partner will help identify hereditary disorders or diseases that you may be carrying in your DNA that could be passed on to your child. This is usually done by blood tests, but sometimes requires tissue samples. Your DNA combines with your partners during conception and the baby grows, replicating the new DNA chain over and over. If certain genes or DNA sections are damaged or abnormal, then diseases or disorders can result. Keep in mind that most of the genetic disorders that your child could inherit would need to come from both parents to manifest.
Down syndrome and some other disorders are not inherited, but occur during cell division. If you have genetic counseling and malformations or errors are found, the genetic counselor will help you to understand the findings.
Birth defects are not very common and most that occur are treatable. Cleft palate and clubfoot are the two most common birth defects and are almost always surgically treatable. Standard screening tests done when you are pregnant may give you cause for concern and warrant seeking genetic counseling. Your age alone could be a factor in determining if you should have genetic counseling. Women over thirty five years of age have a higher chance of having a child with Down Syndrome. If you or your partner know of inherited diseases, disorders or birth defects in the family then you may decide to seek genetic counseling.
If you have had problems getting pregnant or sustaining a pregnancy, seeing an infertility specialist as well as a genetic counselor can be helpful.

About the Author: Dr. Eric Daiter, the medical director of The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine, LLC, a leading NEW JERSEY INFERTILITY CENTER that offers a complete range of MALE INFERTILITY AND FEMALE INFERTILITY TREATMENT. For more information on The NJ Center for Fertility and Reproductive Medicine and Eric Daiter please visit www.drericdaitermd.com.