Genetic Counselling is a non-directive and non-judgmental communication process that confidentially deals with the human problems associated with the occurrence, or risk of occurrence of a genetic disorder in a family, and that provides accurate scientific and comprehendible information so that families can take their own decisions.
Genetic counselling services:
- Counselling affected individuals and families having affected children with a congenital disorder.
- Premarital counselling.
- Preconception counselling.
- Pre-screening / pretesting counselling.
- Counselling regarding consanguinity.
Genetic counselling is proposing information in order to understand:
- Diagnosis, management and prognosis.
- Mode of inheritance.
- Estimation of risks occurrence.
- Options available for dealing with the risks (prenatal screening, prenatal diagnosis, pre-implantation diagnosis).
- Options available to cope with the disorder (follow up, support groups).
Common indication for Genetic Counselling:
- Family history of a hereditary condition.
- Previous child with multiple congenital anomalies.
- Previous child with mental retardation.
- Previous child with an isolated birth defect.
- History of miscarriages or still born babies.
- Infertility.
- Prenatal diagnosis for advance maternal age (over 35 years).
- Infections during pregnancy.
- Consanguinity.
- Newly diagnosed abnormality or genetic condition.
- Teratogen exposure (chemical, medications, etc.).
- Two or more relatives who have had cancer at a young age.
- Before undertaking genetic testing and after receiving results.
- After a positive result for a screening tests (prenatal, newborn).
