Genetic counseling is a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary process carried out with the aim of identifying the probability of the occurrence of a certain disease and the chances of it being transmitted to family members. This examination can be done by the carrier of a certain genetic disease and by his family members and from the analysis of genetic characteristics, it is possible to define prevention methods, risks and treatment alternatives.
Genetic counseling is done most of the time in the case of cancer to verify which mutation is associated with the type of cancer and the possibility of transmission to future generations, as well as the chance of cancer and possible risks.
What does genetic counseling consist of
Genetic counseling consists of carrying out tests that can detect genetic diseases. It can be retrospective, when there are at least two people in the family with the disease, or prospective, when there are no people with the disease in the family, being done with the objective of verifying whether there is a chance of developing a genetic disease or not.
This process is divided into three stages, the first being an anamnesis, in which the person fills out a questionnaire, the second stage is the performance of physical, psychological and laboratory exams, with the aim of checking for signs of any genetic disease and possible mutations, and the last step is the elaboration of diagnostic hypotheses based on the result of the analysis of the questionnaire and exams. See what are the steps of genetic counseling.
Prenatal genetic counseling
Genetic counseling can be done during prenatal care and is indicated mainly in case of pregnancy at an advanced age, in women with diseases that can affect the development of the embryo and in couples with family ties, such as cousins, for example. Prenatal genetic counseling is able to identify chromosome 21 trisomy, which characterizes Down's Syndrome, which can help in family planning. Learn all about Down syndrome.
People who wish to have genetic counseling should seek out a clinical geneticist, who is the doctor responsible for guiding genetic cases.
