Genetic counseling is a skilled review. It looks at a person's or couple's health and family history. It helps find out if a baby may be at risk for certain health issues.
The goal is to figure out risk and explain what the risk means. Counselors also talk about the cause of the problem, whether it can be passed on and what tests can help. They may also talk about care, treatment and what to expect.
Genetic counseling sessions usually last one hour or longer. Time depends on how complicated the case is. A doctor with special training or a trained genetic counselor can provide genetic counseling.
Services include:
- Newborn Screen: All babies in Wisconsin have a Newborn Screen (NBS) test within the first 24 hours of life. Experts take a blood sample from the baby’s heel. This test looks for rare conditions that may not be caught or show up in your baby right away.
- Preconception counseling: This is for people or couples who are planning to become pregnant. It’s helpful for people who may be at a higher risk of passing on a genetic condition. It also looks at overall health, lifestyle, medicines and other factors that could affect pregnancy.
- Hereditary disease: This service helps families understand health conditions that run in their family.
