If your child is diagnosed before birth with 22q11, we recommend that each parent talk with a geneticist or genetic counselor. This person may recommend that each of you have a blood test to evaluate if either of you may also have 22q11 deletion that has been mild and undiagnosed.
Should either of you have the deletion, the next step would be to evaluate others in the family to determine if it exists in siblings, grandparents or other blood relatives. Family members capable of having children with this deletion will be counseled regarding the risk of passing it on to their offspring. If neither of you are found to have the deletion, the chance of having another child with 22q11 is the same as that in the general population, which is approximately one in 3,000.
The prenatal diagnosis does not usually affect the pregnancy. It may be preferable for the delivery to occur at a center with all the specialists available to assist with diagnosis and treatment of your child.
The facility at which your baby is cared for should be familiar with the diagnosis and potential complications your child may face.
By knowing about the diagnosis before your baby is born, you will have the time to get information about this diagnosis and make decisions about care options before your baby arrives.