Genetic Counseling. If you're planning your first pregnancy, you are probably not considering genetic counseling. However, there may be circumstances in which genetic counseling could help you and your partner make informed decisions about childbearing. Genetic counseling is an information session between you and your partner and a genetic counselor or group of counselors. Any information you share with or receive from a genetic counselor is confidential. It may involve one visit or several visits. Genetic counseling is available at most major universities. Your physician can advise you. Through genetic counseling, you and your partner hope to understand the possibilities or probabilities of what might affect your ability to get pregnant or your future offspring. The information you receive is not precise. Counselors may speak in terms of "chances" or "odds of a problem." A genetic counselor will not make a decision for you. He or she will provide information on tests you might take and what the results of those tests may indicate. When speaking with a genetic counselor, don't hide information you feel is embarrassing or hard to talk about. It is important to give him or her as much information as possible. Ask your healthcare provider if you should seek genetic counseling. Most couples who need genetic counseling do not find this out until after they have a child born with a birth defect. You might consider genetic counseling if any of the following apply to you. - You will be at least 35 years old at the time of delivery.
- You have delivered a child with a birth defect.
- You or your partner has a birth defect.
- You or your partner has a family history of Down syndrome, mental retardation, cystic fibrosis, spina bifida, muscular dystrophy, bleeding disorders, skeletal or bone problems, dwarfism, epilepsy, congenital heart defects or blindness.
- You or your partner has a family history of inherited deafness (prenatal testing can identify congenital deafness caused by the Connexin-26 gene and allow the opportunity to manage the problem immediately).
- You and your partner are related (consanguinity).
- You have had recurrent miscarriages (usually three or more).
- You and your partner are descended from Ashkenazi Jews (risk of Tay-Sachs disease or Canavan's disease).
- You or your partner are African American (risk of sickle cell anemia).
- Your partner is at least 40 years old. (Medical information shows a father in his forties may have an increased chance of fathering a child with a birth defect.)
Some of the information you need may be difficult to gather, especially if you or your partner was adopted. You may know little or nothing of your family's medical history. Discuss this with your doctor before you become pregnant. If you learn the chances of problems before getting pregnant, you won't be forced to make difficult choices after becoming pregnant. The primary goal in genetic counseling is the same as other goals in pregnancy early diagnosis and prevention of problems.
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