There are many reasons why genetic counseling may be a good option for you. Some common reasons are if you have a family history of health issues or even planning for a baby.

After you have had genetic testing you would then talk to a genetic counselor who will review your results and tell you what the next step is.

Often times, the lab can find secondary or incidental findings during genetic testing. Secondary findings are are purposely analyzed as part of the test, but unrelated to the primary testing indication. Incidental findings are detected unexpectedly during the analysis, and also unrelated to the primary testing. The National Society of Genetic Counselors strongly advises pre -test counseling that allows for decisions to be made when it comes to secondary and incidental findings. This means that while these results can be disclosed, by setting up clear expectations in the pre-test counseling you can determine what results will and will not be returned.