Health Magazine March/April 2016 | Page 20

PRENATAL GENETIC SCREENING AND TESTING Most babies are born healthy, however many parents-to-be are still worried that something could go wrong before the birth of their child. Written By: Sonika Sachanandani-Phulwani Genetic Counselor at Matar & Rosset Healthcare Solutions WHO IS AT A HIGHER RISK FOR HAVING A CHILD AFFECTED WITH A GENETIC DISORDER? • A woman age 37 or greater. • A couple who already has a child with a genetic disorder. • A couple with a family history of a genetic disorder. Mar/Apr 2016 18 THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF TESTS THAT CAN BE DONE DURING PREGNANCY. THESE INCLUDE 1 SCREENING TESTS these tests cannot give you definitive information about the fetus, but can tell if you are at an increased risk of having a baby with birth defects. 2 DIAGNOSTIC TESTS are offered if any of the screening tests show a high risk for fetal abnormality. Chorionic Villus Sampling and Amniocentesis test the fetus’s genetic material and