Talking to your Doctor
If you or your partner come from a family with Jewish ancestry—or have any family history of genetic disease—and plan to become pregnant, it is important that you ask to be screened for the appropriate genetic diseases.
If you are already pregnant, it’s important to discuss screening with your doctor as soon as possible.
It’s important to tell your doctor or genetic counselor the following:
- Whether you come from a family with Jewish ancestry.
- Whether you are planning to start a family or are already pregnant.
- What is your family’s geographic heritage.
- Whether there are any genetic conditions that run in your family.
If you have been screened before, and your test results are available, bring them to your appointment.
If you don’t have a doctor or if your doctor doesn’t offer genetic screening and counseling, you should contact a hospital-based medical genetics program in your area.
For more information on the screening process, watch the video, A Genetic Counselor on Screening.
