What is Genetic Counselling ?

Genetic counseling gives you information about how genetic conditions might affect you or your family. Some families have a history of genetic conditions in the family members or there may be blood investigations/ ultrasound findings raising suspicion of genetic conditions in the unborn child.

The genetic counselor or other healthcare professional will collect your personal and family health history, and investigations (blood, ultrasound, CVS, amniocentesis, NIPS). Based on this information, the genetic counselor can help you decide whether a genetic test might be right for you or your relative.

Reasons for Genetic Counseling

Your doctor can refer you for genetic counseling based on your personal and family health history. There are different situations when you might be referred for genetic counseling:

Indications for genetic counseling -

• Planning for Pregnancy: Genetic counseling before you become pregnant can address concerns about factors that might affect your baby during infancy or childhood including

• Genetic conditions that run in your family or your partner’s family
• History of infertility, multiple miscarriages, or stillbirth
• Previous pregnancy or child affected by a birth defect or genetic condition

• 2. During Pregnancy: Genetic counseling while you are pregnant can address certain tests that may be done during your pregnancy, any problems detected on blood investigations or ultrasound, or conditions that might affect your baby during infancy or childhood, including

• History of infertility, multiple miscarriages, or stillbirth
• Previous pregnancy or child affected by a birth defect or genetic condition
• Abnormal test results, such as a blood test, ultrasound, Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS), or amniocentesis
• Maternal infections, such as Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and other exposures such as medicines, drugs, chemicals, and x-rays
• Genetic screening

Following the genetic counseling session, you might decide to have genetic testing. Genetic counseling after testing can help you better understand your test results and treatment options, discuss your concerns, and refer you to other healthcare providers, and support groups.