Specialized Services

A B C D E F G H I K L M P R S T W All Services

Preconception and prenatal counseling is available to help you and your partner understand your options, including whether to proceed with prenatal testing. The service is provided by specially trained counselors.

Maternal and paternal risk factors are assessed to determine if either parent could be a carrier of a genetic disorder. This includes a review of family history and factors such as ethnicity that can indicate risks for certain birth defects or diseases. For example, Tay-Sachs disease is most common among Ashkenazi Jews, sickle cell anemia among African Americans, cystic fibrosis among Caucasians and thalassemia among people of Mediterranean or Asian decent.

Counseling will help you determine if you want further testing and, if so, which test is appropriate. Additional counseling is available for patients who receive abnormal results.

For more information, please contact the Prenatal Diagnosis Center at (415) 476-4080.