Is there a need for genetic counseling before pregnancy?

Genetic counseling helps you understand how genes, birth defects and other medical conditions run in families, and how they can affect your health and your baby's health. Genetic counseling is required if health conditions run in your family or if prenatal tests show your baby may be at risk for health conditions. If any health issue is there in your family history then you must go for genetic counselling so that you can save yourself from pregnancy related complications other wise you need not to go for genetic counselling.

Genetic counselling will help people in understanding how genetic illness may affect the person and the family members. Generally, this genetic illness may be due to changes in genes. Normally we need not visit a genetic counsellor if there is no family history of genetic illness.
There will be a necessity to visit a counsellor in case the lady is having any of the following issues.
1. Any of the close relatives of the family are having a history of genetic illness.
2. Couples who are having a child with genetic issues,
3. If the woman who is planning for pregnancy is more than 34 years old.
4. If the result of the parental screening test is abnormal for a lady
5. Ladies who had a history of two or more abortions previously.
6. If the lady is found to be amniocentesis.
If any of the above problems are noticed only one should visit a counsellor. If the couple are not close relatives before marriage and there are no health issues, there will not be any necessity. Anyhow, the couple can visit a Gyanacologist and take advice from her/him and then decide.

If the couples are planning to go through parenthood, they would certainly be benefited with the consultation of a genetic counsellor taking care of the couples at all the stages during the pregnancy and afterwards for the safe delivery of the baby free from any genetic disorder.
Genetic Disorders such as Sickle Cell Disease, Tay - Sachs Disease, Muscular Dystrophy etc are some of the diseases which could pass to the baby if there is the genetic risk factor between the families of the parents. In such a situation, genetic counselling services can access any risk involved while undergoing through the motherhood stage.
Role of Genetic Counsellors -
Genetic Counsellors would help the couples in understanding the mechanism of birth defects, genes and other abnormalities running in the families. Couples might approach genetic counsellor for the proper assistance during the process of delivery and afterwards. They would conduct blood tests of the couples to access any abnormality in the womb.
Apart from this, the specialist could reveal Down Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, Cleft Palate, Heart - defects, Cancer etc which might exist in the baby in absence of supervision of the specialist.
The Genetic Counsellor would start treatment at the earliest with the application of therapy strategies. In case of cancer, genes like BRCA1, BRCA2 might be taken up by the specialist if he suspects any such defect so as to avoid the future complications.
It would always be a safe practice to remain under the supervision of a specialist especially if the couples had lost a child as a result of miscarriage in the past.

The advancement in medical sciences specially in the field of genetics have made it possible to do the genetic counselling before the pregnancy itself. Every parent desires that their children should be ailment free and should not have any genetic defect in them.
There are some diseases and manifestations which are carried ahead hereditary and it is obvious that if we know about them beforehand then we can take some remedial measures to cope up with those difficult matters which have potential to create medically adverse situations in the lives of children.
A pre conception counselling not only analyses the genetic issues but also advises on the pre natal and post natal medical issues and complications.
In the genetic part the detailed medical history of the parents and grandparents is analysed. The various diseases that the family members were having or are having is also taken in cognisance.
The expert may also advise some life style changes necessary to reinforce and align with the family genetics.
Genetic counselling gives a lot of information about the health of the couple and associated risks of getting pregnant.
In some cases genetic counselling not only provides information but also gives valuable assurance to the couple for going ahead with the pregnancy.
Generally, the genetic carrier screening is done for these analysis in which a sample of blood or saliva is taken. Other tests may also be required to be done if the woman is suspected to suffer from ailments like diabetes, epilepsy, hepatitis, anemia, HIV etc.

Sometimes even very simple things get complicated and confusing , when we go for avoidable sophistication. As this couple are otherwise healthy and young and there is no known serious issues in their immediate prior lineage or siblings, it may not be necessary at this very preliminary stage to go for a genetic counselling.
They can pleasantly mutually go for having baby, with a positive outlook.

Once pregnancy is confirmed they can be under the guidance and consultancy of a qualified and experienced gynecologist .

However it is suggested that they avoid any kind of unhealthy lifestyle habits like smoking etc. stopping which is anyway for the benefit of good health.
Wish them all the best.