Importance of Genetic Counselling in Genetic Testing

Genetic counselling is important to understanding how certain genetic disorders or diseases affect your family tree. Counselling helps you understand the depth of genetic testing, a method in which DNA is studied to understand the changes in one’s biology. Counsellors help people make educated decisions regarding certain complicated diseases, family planning or in case of genetic disorders. Let’s learn how genetic counselling can help you navigate through genetic testing process and help you with understanding genetic reports.

What is Genetic Testing?

Genetic testing helps to determine the changes, mutations, or variants in your DNA with a series of examinations. It can help you determine the risk of developing cancer or provides a diagnosis of inheriting a certain genetic disorder like Fragile X. Genetic tests are done using a blood sample or spit samples to extract your DNA, and the result is ready in a few weeks.

There are different types of genetic tests, like:

• Single gene testing
• Panel testing
• Large-scale or genome testing

Genetic counselling is essential before and after genetic testing because a counsellor can properly guide you and explain the results appropriately. The counsellor will guide you throughout the process and ensure you are the right person in the family to get testing and that you are taking the right test.

Importance of Genetic Counselling in Genetic Testing

Genetic counselling is done to make you aware of the genetic conditions and disorders in your family tree. It is very helpful for an individual making decisions regarding a health condition or for couples deciding to start a family. It will inform you of the available options for a disease, like how you can manage it. Here is the importance of genetic counselling:

• Through genetic counselling, one can better cope with the consequences of genetic disorders. It reduces the stress and burden associated with a genetic disorder.
• It is helpful in the case of pregnancy, as genetic testing in pregnancy brings out any genetic condition that can affect fertility and childbirth.
• It helps to diagnose the genetic defects in the child. Signs of genetically linked conditions, like those related to vision, hearing, and intellectual development, can be detected with testing.
• It is crucial for those with family records of a specific illness, including inherited blood and movement disorder. Moreover, it can help you diagnose for inherited cancers and certain cancers like ovarian and breast cancer can be predicted and managed beforehand.

Who should get genetic counselling done?

Here is a list of factors that increases your chances of undergoing genetic counselling:

• You may think you have a genetic condition or your child is born with one

Genetic conditions like cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, or a congenital disability can run in your

family or ethnic group. Some genetic conditions run in an ethnic group, which is a group of people, often from the same country, who share a culture or language. One example is that people who are Ashkenazi Jews are more likely to develop Tay-Sachs disease and other genetic conditions than others.

• You are older than 35

If you are 35 years old, it is better to get genetic counselling because the body becomes weak after a specific point in life and the tendency to develop disease increases. It is better to get genetic counselling done to change your lifestyle to deal with the complications similarly. Moreover, if you are pregnant, you are at a high risk of developing a baby with a genetic condition, unlike other young women. So, it is essential to undergo genetic testing along with other tests.

• You and your husband are first cousins or blood relatives -

If you and your husband are first cousins or blood relatives, then there is a high risk of passing down the genetic condition to the next generation.

• Your job, medical history, or lifestyle has a high chance of developing a genetic condition or congenital disability during birth.

If you are working in a position where you have to deal with chemicals or environments unfit for humans, like radioactive, it can cause a problem for your offspring. Moreover, if you are using street drugs or medication to treat an infection or certain health condition, it can also impact the baby's health.

• An ultrasound or prenatal testing showed a high risk of your baby developing a genetic condition.

An ultrasound and prenatal tests show the development of your baby. However, if your doctor finds something suspicious, the doctor might recommend genetic counselling to get more details over the observation.

• The newborn screening showed signs of developing a genetic condition.

After the birth, the babies get newborn screening before leaving the hospital to ensure optimal health and check for rare health conditions with serious implications.

• Couples who have experienced two or three failed pregnancies or miscarriages

Miscarriage is an unfortunate experience, and if you have faced it two or more two times, it is rather a traumatic experience. Genetic counselling is essential to determine the cause of recurrent pregnancy loss.

What happens in genetic counselling?

Genetic counselling is a simple process. However, to prepare you before you plan to visit a genetic counsellor, here is what happens in a genetic counselling session:

• Firstly, the genetic counsellor will take and assess your family history. Family history information helps determine how a family's health can contribute to and affect your or your children's health.

• The genetic counsellor will help set up genetic tests for your condition. You can get some tests before the pregnancy to determine the chances of transferring a specific genetic condition to your baby.

• The counsellor will help understand the test results and explain the baby's risk of inheriting the genetic condition. After a significant discussion with your healthcare provider, the counsellor will decide on your baby's health.

• The genetic counsellor will even provide references to medical specialists, education resources and support groups to focus on your baby's condition. It will provide resources to prepare you to meet your baby's unique needs.

Wrapping up

Genetic counselling is a vital step before proceeding to genetic testing. Early detection of genetic disorders, health conditions and other deformities can save your family from years of heartache and frustration.

Genetic counsellors guide you on a path of ease in genetic testing. Apollo Diagnostics is a team of well-qualified genetic counsellors that provide you with the necessary guidelines and appropriate help for genetic testing. Our experts with comprehensive knowledge and expertise can understand complex genetic reports and provide consultation to help you navigate. Visit us today to find out more.