Overview
Genetic Counseling is a professional assessment of a patient's risk factors regarding their family history or a pregnancy.
The goal of genetic counseling is not only risk assessment, but also to explain cause/inheritance of a disorder, availability of testing, prognosis and management/ treatment, and options.
Genetic counseling sessions typically last one hour, or longer, depending on the complexity of the case.
There is usually no charge for patients who need further genetic counseling after their first session (i.e. such as in the case of an abnormal prenatal diagnostic result).
Each counselor is assigned to one patient for continuity in complicated cases.
Important Information for Patients
Genetics Counseling Session
Typically, the components of a genetic counseling session include:
- Asking the patient, couple, or family their understanding of why they were referred.
- Obtaining a family pedigree of at least three generations (preferably 4), documenting all genetic conditions and health problems, with medical records.
- Obtaining the couple's environmental history and personal medical history.
- For a child or adult suspected of a genetic disorder, their environmental and personal medical history are also obtained.
- Obtaining the mother and father's reproductive history.
- Explaining the genetic causes of birth defects.
- Explaining the diagnosis of a genetic disorder or risk of a genetic disorder, the inheritance, recurrence risk, prognosis, management, and treatment options.
- Explaining genetic testing options for the current or future pregnancy, or for symptomatic or at-risk individuals in the family. This may include research studies depending on the disorder.
- Provide supportive counseling and referral to patient support groups and/or other families with similar experiences.
- Support the individual, couple, or family in whatever decision best suits them, with regards to the information received, their personal, religious, and moral values. In this manner, genetic counseling is non-directive.
Depending on the situation, follow-up sessions are sometimes needed. These sessions are scheduled with the same genetic counselor for continuity and confidentiality.