Genetic Counseling

At The Rocking Chair, genetic counseling is provided by genetic professionals who work as part of a patient’s healthcare team. Our genetic counselors are able to provide patients with information and support for an inherited condition. A consultation will include an assessment of the risk of a genetic disorder by obtaining the patient’s family history and personal medical history, interpreting the information about the disorder, and discussing the inheritance patterns and risk of recurrence of the disorder in the family. In addition, a genetic counseling specialist will review the risks, benefits and limitations of genetic testing before a patient makes his or her decision to test or not. Following testing, the genetic counselor will review and interpret the results for the patient and the patient’s family. During these genetic counseling consultations, the genetic counselors will explain possible treatment or preventative options, discuss reproductive options, and provide patients with applicable support services or refer patients to a place where they can receive appropriate care, including genetic counseling programs .

Genetic counseling programs cover for a vast array of inherited disorders including cancer, cardiac conditions, birth defects, deafness, mental retardation, learning disabilities and many other genetic disorders, including the more rare disorders. In addition, genetic counselors also provide patients with a prenatal risk assessment discussing their screening and testing options before or during pregnancy. Prenatal risk assessments are generally provided for (but not limited to) women who are 34 years old or older who are planning a pregnancy or who are pregnant, women with a history of multiple miscarriages, and those who have pregnancy related concerns due to exposure to medications, drugs, chemicals or certain work conditions.

For more information about our genetic counseling programs, please call us at 201-308-5325 extension 232 or contact us by email here.