Choosing Infertility Clinics: Geneticist and Genetic Counseling

Infertility clinics offer a wide range of services. If you are looking for a clinic, you should bear in mind the medical issues that affect your fertility. Getting the help of a geneticist, along with genetic counseling, is recommended to get informed about the risks of having a baby with a birth defect and possibly prevent the birth of a baby with a genetic defect.

The Importance of Genetics for Reproduction

Genes are present in the human body and they are important when it comes to heredity. They are transmitted to children and will determine their sex, physical features and development. However, there are also genes that carry certain defects leading to genetic disorders. Ideally, these should be avoided. To date, there are over 6,000 discovered genetic diseases.

Geneticist and Genetic Counseling

A geneticist is a professional that specializes in genetics and may be able to help couples conceive a healthy baby. A geneticist may also deal with the study of embryos obtained through in vitro fertilization. A geneticist can diagnose and assess the risks of having a child with a birth defect. The specialist is also trained in counseling, so that he can offer genetic counseling to the couples that need it.

Genetic diseases may have various recurrence patterns, which are actively studied by geneticists. A session of genetic counseling may help couples:

  • Track their family diseases and establish if there are risks when it comes to having a baby
  • Get advice on what to do to have the best chances of conceiving a healthy baby
  • Obtain information about their risks
  • Get support

A geneticist cannot guarantee to prevent the occurrence of a genetic disease, but will inform the couple about the risks and help decide on the best possible way to have a healthy baby.

Typically, when there are great risks of having a child with a genetic disorder, the geneticist will recommend an assisted reproductive technique such as the in vitro fertilization, as this will allow the specialists to monitor and diagnose the embryo prior to being implanted in the uterus. There are some tests that can be performed to determine if the embryo is healthy and doesn’t carry chromosomal defects, but these are not 100% accurate. In any case, these tests may come in handy.

Issues that Require Genetic Counseling

You may require genetic counseling if you or anyone in your family has a genetic disorder. Having a genetic disorder in the family presents an increased risk to have a child that will inherit this disease. However, genetic counseling is also recommended when the maternal age is advanced (i.e. 35 and over), as after this age, the egg tissues are more likely to carry various chromosomal defects such as the Down syndrome.

When choosing a geneticist, make sure he is certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling and/or the American Board of Medical Genetics.

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