The choice of whether or not to undergo genetic carrier screening is yours. There may be some questions that would be helpful to consider before you make the decision on whether or not to pursue carrier screening:
- Would I like to know as much information as possible to plan and be prepared?
- Would having more information make me more anxious or nervous?
- If testing on my partner and I indicated an increased risk for a genetic condition, would I want to move forward with diagnostic testing (such as CVS or amniocentesis), that would be able to give a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, but also carries a risk for miscarriage?
- If I knew that my baby had one of these conditions, would it affect my decision to continue the pregnancy? Would I consider alternative options, such as terminating the pregnancy, or placing the baby up for adoption?
This is not an inclusive list of things to consider, but may be a good place to start. It is important to also discuss what sort of screening would be right for you with your doctor or genetic counselor.
Click here to learn more about scheduling a genetic counseling appointment for pregnancy-related questions.
Click here to learn more about scheduling a genetic counseling appointment for infertility or preconception questions.
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Last updated on Aug 21st, 2019
