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Genetic counseling is the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, and familial implications of the genetic contributions to disease. This process integrates:
- Interpretation of family and medical histories to assess the chance of disease occurrence or recurrence.
- Education about inheritance, testing, management, prevention, resources and research.
- Counseling to promote informed choices and adaptation to the risk or condition.
The primary goal of genetic counseling is to provide information and support for your decisions regarding reproductive options and genetic testing choices.
Genetic counseling is appropriate for:
- Individuals with a genetic condition or with a family history of a genetic condition
- Individuals or couples who have experienced multiple miscarriages
- Individuals or couples who are experiencing infertility
- Individuals who are known carriers of a genetic condition
- Women age 33 and older
- Women who have had abnormal results from prenatal screening tests, such as ultrasound and blood work
- Women concerned about an exposure, such as medications or infections, during pregnancy
Individuals and couples who are making future reproductive decisions may decide to seek the advice of a genetic counselor because you are concerned about your family history or the risk of inherited conditions. Your genetic counselor will take a family history and review any available medical records. Carrier testing may be available in certain situations and will be discussed. If you elect to proceed with testing, your genetic counselor will coordinate those studies and report the results to you and to your physician. Reproductive options for future pregnancies will also be reviewed.
Ms. Lawson is a graduate of the University Of Pittsburgh Graduate School Of Public Health, with a master degree in genetic counseling. She has been with the Department of GYN/OB at Johns Hopkins Hospital for over 20 years, providing genetic counseling in the Prenatal Diagnosis and Treatment Center. Ms. Lawson also has participated in the education of medical students, OB residents, maternal fetal medicine fellow, genetics fellows and genetic counseling graduate students.
Ms. Lawson has a particular interest in the genetics of infertility and has served on the Johns Hopkins Assisted Reproductive Technologies Oversight Committee for the past 10 years. She also serves on the Johns Hopkins Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Task Force through the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, assisting in the development of PGD services at Johns Hopkins.