Genetic Carrier Testing Before Pregnancy
What is Carrier Screening? Why is Genetic Carrier Testing Before Pregnancy Important?
You might not realize that you could be a carrier of a genetic disorder even if youre perfectly healthy.
Many genetic diseases show no symptoms in carriers, but the abnormal gene can still be passed on to a child.
If both parents carry the same faulty gene, theres up to a 25% chance that their child will inherit the disease
What is Carrier Screening? Carrier Screening is a genetic test that identifies whether you carry gene mutations that could increase the risk of passing on genetic diseases to your future child even if you dont have any symptoms yourself.
This screening helps you understand your genetic background and make informed decisions for a safer family planning journey.
How is the Test Done?
A simple blood or saliva sample is collected and sent to a laboratory for analysis.
Results are usually available within 24 weeks.
If both partners are found to carry the same gene mutation, doctors may recommend PGT (Preimplantation Genetic Testing) to select embryos that are free from genetic abnormalities before transfer during IVF treatment.
What Conditions Can It Detect?
Carrier screening can identify hundreds of genetic conditions, such as:
Thalassemia
SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy)
Cystic Fibrosis
Metabolic disorders
And many other inherited genetic conditions (depending on the test panel used by each laboratory)
Who Should Get Tested?
Couples planning to have children
Individuals with a family history of genetic diseases
Couples undergoing IVF or ICSI, who wish to minimize the risk of inherited disorders before pregnancy
