Human genetic counseling
A genetic counseling , often referred to as genetic counseling called, is used to detect genetic (with) disease or risks for diseases and to understand. It is carried out by specialists in human genetics (in Austria specialists in medical genetics) who have specific experience with hereditary diseases, both in diagnostics and in the care of affected persons and families. Human genetic counseling is carried out non-directive, so no recommendations are given. Rather, the background should be explained and misunderstandings cleared up so that those affected are able to make the right decisions themselves.
A human genetic counseling can be helpful, for example, if the desire to have children is unfulfilled or if there are frequent cancers in the family. If there is a hereditary disease in a family, information is provided about its course and about prevention options or treatment; if you want to have children, you can talk about the likelihood of the occurrence of a genetic disease in a child. If the growing child is suspected of having a genetic disease during pregnancy, genetic counseling can help ensure that the meaning of the findings is properly understood and avoid decisions that may later be regretted.
Human genetic counseling should always be neutral. Valuing terms such as “ genetic compatibility” or “defective genes” are avoided in the context of human genetic counseling.
In Germany, genetic counseling is a service provided by all statutory health insurances and private health insurances and is therefore paid for by them if the family doctor or a specialist issues a corresponding referral slip.
See also
- Prenatal diagnostics
- Reproductive medicine
- Dor Yeshorim
- Genetic Diagnostics Act
- Inbreeding in humans
- Family tree analysis
literature
- S2k guideline for human genetic diagnostics and genetic advice from the German Society for Human Genetics . In: AWMF online (as of December 31, 2018).