To date, the nature of genetic abnormalities is not yet fully understood. Many of them can be foreseen. Therefore, in order to exclude genetic pathologies and their distribution, genetic analyzes are carried out.
Who needs genetics consultation when planning a pregnancy?
To be calm during her future pregnancy, for the normal development of the fetus and the health of her unborn child, it is best to undergo a genetic analysis even when planning pregnancy, especially if:
- a woman can not conceive, or bear a child. Consultation of a geneticist and conducting the necessary tests when planning a pregnancy will help understand the reasons for this situation. For this, a blood test is taken from a man and a woman, and their chromosome sets are examined;
- a woman who has decided to give birth to a child is more than 35 years old, and the father of a future child is more than 40 years old (the older the parents, the higher the risk of mutation of the genes);
- there are genetic diseases in relatives;
- future parents are close relatives;
- the first child has congenital pathologies.
Genetic Analysis in Pregnancy Planning
The geneticist when planning pregnancy first gets acquainted with the family tree, finds out potentially dangerous for the future child factors related to the diseases of his parents, the drugs they take, the conditions of life, professional characteristics.
Then, if necessary, a geneticist can prescribe an additional analysis for genetics before pregnancy. This can be a general clinical examination, including: blood tests for biochemistry, a consultation of a neurologist, a therapist, an endocrinologist. Or special tests for genetics related to the study of karyotype - the quality and quantity of chromosomes of a man and a woman in the planning of pregnancy - can be conducted. In the case of marriages between blood relatives, infertility or miscarriage, HLA-typing is carried out.
After the analysis of the genealogy, the evaluation of other factors, the results of the geneticist's analysis determines the risk of inheritance diseases in a future child. A risk level of less than 10% indicates a probability of a healthy baby. The level of risk in 10-20% - it is possible the birth of both a healthy and a sick child. In this case, it will later be necessary to make an analysis of the genetics of a pregnant woman. The high risk of genetic abnormalities is the reason for the couple to abstain from pregnancy or use donor sperm or an egg. But even with high and medium risk levels, there is a chance that the baby will be born healthy.
Genetics for pregnant women is carried out if a woman is in early pregnancy:
- suffered influenza, chickenpox, ARVI, herpes, hepatitis and other infections;
- X-rays or fluorography;
- took drugs;
- Riding, mountaineering or diving, other extreme activities;
- also according to the results of tests on biochemistry;
- at an acute condition at an intrauterine infection .