submitted by Pamela Callum, M.S., Certified Genetic Counselor, California Cryobank

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and the American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) state that the best time to evaluate your family history is before you get pregnant. This gives you time to discuss the risks for medical problems and take action to reduce these risks or learn more and make decisions that are right for you. If medical risks are not recognized until you are already pregnant, you may have limited options for managing these risks or only a short amount of time to learn about and make decisions for how you want to proceed.

Even if you are familiar with your family’s history and don’t think you need a genetic consultation, you might not be aware of the significance of some of your family history or the options available for managing that information during your pregnancy. A genetic counselor is trained to critically evaluate your family history and help you understand the meaning of the information collected. They will help you make a plan for managing any issues of concern including options that are available before you get pregnant and those that you may want to consider during your pregnancy.

A personal genetic evaluation can be especially important if you are using a sperm donor. Even if your donor has had genetic testing based on his own family history or ethnic background, the testing might not be sufficient based on your family or if you have an abnormal genetic test result. There are often more extensive genetic tests available for a specific genetic condition and they could be performed on your donor if you felt the need to pursue more testing. Again, the best time to find out about additional testing options, how long the testing may take to complete, and if your donor is available for testing, is before you get pregnant.

You may want to consider a personal genetic evaluation if you:

• Want to know about the risks to your children based on your age, family history, ethnic background, or exposures to medications, infections, alcohol, or other substances
• If your family members have experienced infertility or multiple miscarriages
• Have a family history of cancer, mental illness, developmental disability, birth defects, or mental retardation
• Want to be informed about testing options that you can consider during your pregnancy such as amniocentesis, CVS, and AFP or Quad tests.

You can prepare for your genetic consultation by talking to your relatives and discussing your family’s medical history. Your genetic counselor may also have a family history questionnaire to help you get started.

California Cryobank (CCB) Genetic Consultation Services offer personal genetic consultations both in-person and over-the-phone. They are available to all individuals who are planning a pregnancy, whether they plan to use an egg or sperm donor or not. We also offer consultations for egg donors and surrogates to help you understand how the medical history of those individuals might contribute to your child’s health. For more information, or to schedule a consultation with CCB Genetic Counseling Services, call (877) 943-6384.