Video Transcript
Why may a person be offered genetic
screening before deciding to have a child? (A) They would like to choose the
characteristics of their child before they are born. (B) They are currently suffering
from an infectious disease caused by a pathogen. (C) They would like to determine
their ancestry before starting their own family. (D) They have a history of a
serious genetic disorder in the family and want to reduce the risk of passing it
on.
To answer this question, we need to
recall what genetic screening is and the reasons why it is offered to a person
planning for parenthood.
Genetic screening is the process of
studying a person’s DNA to identify genetic diseases and disorders or susceptibility
to genetic diseases and disorders. Genetic screening works by studying
a person’s DNA, which is our genetic material. It is the unit of inheritance that
controls our characteristics, such as eye color and hair color. A section of DNA that codes for a
particular characteristic is called a gene.
The risk and presence of certain
diseases and disorders can be identified by looking at different sections of DNA for
changes called mutations. By carrying out genetic screening
on potential parents, they can better understand the risk of passing genetic
disorders to their offspring, allowing parents to make informed choices about their
potential offspring.
There are several different types
of genetic screenings which can be offered for different reasons. Carrier testing is a form of
genetic screening that is offered to people who have a family history of genetic
disease but they themselves do not display symptoms. Preimplantation testing is a type
of genetic screening that can be used to test embryos being used in in vitro
fertilization, or IVF. Prenatal testing is carried out on
pregnant mothers before the baby is born. It is typically offered to a person
that is in at-risk or high-risk group, such as an expectant mother over the age of
35.
Newborn testing is carried out on
newborn babies. This is to screen them for genetic
disorders that can be treated early in life before they develop into something more
debilitating. Presymptomatic testing is offered
to people who have a family history of certain disorders for which they are not
having apparent symptoms. This type of test is most common
for disorders that develop late in life typically after the age of 40.
So, for a person deciding to have a
child, the most appropriate genetic screening is one that can identify a history of
genetic disease, such as carrier or preimplantation genetic screenings. With this information, we are ready
to answer the question. A person may be offered genetic
screening before deciding to have a child because they have a history of a serious
genetic disorder in the family and want to reduce the risk of passing it on.
