Genetic Counseling

Genetic counseling is used to determine the probability/likelihood of an unborn child having a genetic disorder. Genetic counselors create pedigrees of the mother and father’s family and map out if there are any inheritable disorders. Counselors look at such things as mode of inheritance, relation of others with disorders to the child, and if the parents are carriers or have the disease. Depending on how likely it is that the child will inherit the disease, the parents are provided with options. Common options could include: information regarding how to prepare for having a child with said disorder, abortion, birth control, adoption, etc.