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Genetic counseling
Genetic counseling is guidance given by a health professional (genetic counselor or medical geneticist) who is trained to help people understand their risk of having a child with an inherited (genetic) disease, such as sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, or hemophilia.
Genetic counseling may involve:
- Teaching the parent or couple about how a specific disease is inherited or passed from parents to a child.
- Discussing what problems an inherited disease may cause.
- Discussing whether and how to test for an inherited disease before a woman becomes pregnant or before a child is born.
- Discussing the likelihood, based on test results, that the couple will have a child with an inherited disease.
Credits
| Author | Jeannette Curtis |
| Author | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Editor | Kathleen M. Ariss, MS |
| Editor | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA |
| Associate Editor | Tracy Landauer |
| Associate Editor | Pat Truman |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Patrice Burgess, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Last Updated | May 25, 2007 |
| Last updated: | May 25, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Caroline Rea, RN, BS, MS |
| Reviewed By: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman |
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