Before Pregnancy
If you’re thinking about getting pregnant, you and your partner can choose to have preconception counseling. This is especially important if you or your partner have a family or medical history of genetic disorders and stand a chance of passing the condition to your child. Preconception screening has the advantage of giving couples additional reproductive options if tests show the likelihood of having one of these conditions.
If you are interested in preconception counseling, schedule a visit with your gynecologist who will:
- Conduct a quick screen of your family history and your own medical history
- Assess your need for ethnicity-based screening
- Arrange for testing or referral to a genetic counselor, if needed
Genetic testing is done with a small sample of body fluid, usually blood. The time it takes to get results varies depending on the test. Your genetic provider will contact you with your results.
English version
Ethnicity-Based Genetic Screening: Care Instructions
Spanish version
Pruebas genéticas basadas en la etnia: Instrucciones de cuidado
