What Is Pregnancy Genetic Screening?

Published on: September 24, 2018

Medical advancements have made it possible to screen your genes to understand factors that can affect your health. There are genetic markers that can be detected that alert you to possible risks for your health and what genes you may pass on to your offspring. Pregnancy genetic screening has become more common, both before and during pregnancy, helping those planning a family have a better understanding of possible health risks for their child.

Genetic screening is used to look for genetic markers that can identify possible “abnormal” genes that could impact a baby’s health. Pre-pregnancy genetic screening can be done on both parents. This information can help parents understand what possible diseases their child could be at a higher risk of obtaining. Many diseases are hereditary; if both parents have the same genes for a disease, the risk can be higher that their child will have the disease.

Genetic screening during pregnancy is also an option available through some OB/GYN clinics. This is often performed when certain hereditary diseases are prevalent in the parent’s families or if they have children that were born with certain health problems. The testing can alert the expecting parents if their unborn child has inherited these genes in the early stages of pregnancy.

Not everyone wants or needs genetic screening before or during pregnancy, but it is an option that is available. This is a personal choice and one you should discuss with your partner and your OB/GYN to determine if it would be beneficial for your situation. It is important to know what genetic screening can and cannot predict to best use the information you obtain from the results.

Posted on behalf of
Marietta OB-GYN Affiliates, P.A.
699 Church Street #220
Marietta, GA 30060
(770) 422-8505

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