Approximately 200,000 people in the United States are at risk for Huntington disease because they have a parent with the condition. If you are among those at risk, you know that family planning is a complicated prospect. People with Huntington disease, or at risk for...
If you’re thinking about starting or expanding your family, you may wonder if you or your partner have a heritable genetic disease. And, if so, how can you prevent your offspring from inheriting a disabling condition? Genetic carrier screening is the first step...
Watching a loved one suffer from a debilitating disease is heartbreaking. It’s also scary thinking about whether you may also develop the same condition or pass it on to your own children. Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is an option for many people facing...
During a genetic consultation, you’ll hear many acronyms, and they can get confusing. As you aim to have a healthy baby, you’ll evaluate different screening options to find what’s best for you. Recently, some terminology in the world of assisted...
If you’re considering starting a family, you may have some concerns about possible genetic or heritable conditions that you could pass on to your child. Meeting with a genetic counselor can give you more information and help you decide on next steps, but you may...
As genetics becomes an increasingly important component of research, health and medicine, protecting genetic information is vital. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA), a federal law that protects...
When couples at risk of passing on an inherited single gene disorder like cystic fibrosis want to have a baby, they often consider in vitro fertilization (IVF) with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). This form of testing can help prospective parents ensure that...
While many genetic disorders are diagnosed in infancy or childhood, some don’t reveal themselves until later in life. If you’re an adult who is wondering if your symptoms or the symptoms affecting family members may be due to an inherited genetic...
Some 5.7 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease. For the vast majority of them, the disease is the result of an unpredictable perfect storm of lifestyle and genetic factors. But a small minority of people who have Alzheimer’s disease — fewer...
Concern for the health and well-being of your child is common for parents, but for many parents-to-be, these anxieties begin before the child is even born. If you’ve just found out that you’re the carrier of a genetic disease, have a personal or family...
