Pregnancy is just the beginning of starting a family, yet it’s a crucial time for your unborn child. Getting prenatal care consistently is vital for the health of both you and your unborn child. To have a healthy, full-term infant is a dream come true for every parent, and it’s only natural to want to ensure that you’re doing everything you can to make that happen.

However, even while most newborns are healthy, complications may occasionally arise. Certain couples may be at a greater risk than others, depending on several characteristics such as their age, lifestyle, and overall health.

As a parent, if you are concerned about your child’s health, then it is crucial to know what resources are available to gain some insight into their overall well-being. One such resource is genetic testing, which in most cases, is non-invasive and very safe – unless the mother is deemed to be at high risk. 

Who Is a Good Candidate for Genetic Testing? 

There are a variety of factors deemed as high risk for genetic testing. These include:

• An inherited predisposition to illness
• Having multiple childbirths
• Maternal age of under 17 or over 35 years of age
• Prior problematic pregnancies 
• Pre-existing conditions that run in either the mother’s or the father’s family

Depending on the situation, you can still undergo genetic testing upon consulting your doctor. At its core, genetic testing during pregnancy is done to determine if a baby is healthy or if it has a high risk of developing a genetic condition. There are two types of testing available: genetic screenings and diagnostic testing.

Genetic Screening

Screening tests are the safest option, and they pose no danger to a mother or her child. Screening can determine the likelihood of seeing if a child carries the genes that cause genetic diseases, including Tay-Sachs, sickle cell anemia, and Down syndrome. You can get screened before pregnancy, throughout pregnancy, or both.

The purpose of a screening test is not to identify a congenital disability but to calculate the probability that a child may be born with one. For the most part, screening tests are used by women to assist them in deciding whether or not to have further in-depth diagnostic examinations.

Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT): As the name suggests, non-invasive prenatal testing is one of the basic tests carried out after the tenth week of pregnancy. From there, a blood test will be performed. It checks for chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome, Turner syndrome, and Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Ultrasound Tests: Sonogram tests are carried out for women between 18 and 22 weeks of pregnancy. Although ultrasounds are commonly used for determining the gender of an unborn child, they have various other applications as well. Ultrasounds can determine if limbs are developing typically and can detect certain congenital disorders. 

Diagnostic Testing 

Diagnostic tests are intrusive, but they are recommended if prenatal screening indicates that a child is more likely to have a genetic condition. These tests are performed on pregnant ladies with an elevated risk of being sickle cell carriers or, suffering from thalassemia or if any congenital diseases were found during screening.

Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS): Chorionic Villus Sampling is a sampling test done between the 10th and 12th week of pregnancy. It is performed by taking a tiny sample of placental tissue from the exterior of the fetal sac. Because this tissue includes the fetus’s own DNA, it may be examined for chromosomal and other genetic disorders.

Amniocentesis: Amniocentesis can be carried out once the mother has passed the 15-week mark. The test is carried out with the help of a needle under the presence of an ultrasound monitor, which the doctor uses to take the sample from the mother’s abdomen to collect the amniotic fluid for testing. 

It’s important to note that amniocentesis is not without dangers; in fact, it is estimated that the probability of miscarriage in the subsequent weeks after the procedure increases. Because of this, it’s advised that it only be performed if you have consulted with a doctor.

Making the Right Choice

The primary objective of these tests is to eliminate the chance of danger to your unborn child, and to confirm the accuracy of any positive findings. 

Prenatal genetic testing can be an integral element in any pregnancy. If you are unsure about which tests are appropriate for your situation, consult with your healthcare practitioner. They will help you explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of any genetic test and will provide you with guidance to assist you in making the best decisions for you and your family.