6 Ways a Genetic Counselor Can Support Your Fertility Journey

There is so much information to take in and so many steps to move through on a fertility journey, which is why having a supportive care team by your side is such a crucial part of having a positive experience and the best outcomes possible. For couples and individuals for whom genetic testing is part of their family-building process, tests and screenings can feel overwhelming if you don’t know what they’re looking for, or how they can help you improve your chances of a successful, healthy pregnancy. Having a genetic counselor in your corner can ensure you feel empowered in your decision making and fully informed about the factors you need to consider.

If you’re considering partnering with a genetic counselor or are just starting to learn about how genetic testing can be a part of your treatment process, here are some ways in which a genetic counselor can be a supportive part of your fertility journey:

1. Discuss your family history.

A genetic counselor is trained in taking a detailed family history and walking you through anything you may need to be aware of as you build your family. We can look for patterns, concerning symptoms, and help you understand your risk for passing on a genetic condition to your offspring. Since testing embryos for specific inheritable conditions can only be done when you know exactly what you’re looking for, a thorough examination of that history can inform your next steps when deciding how to test your embryos.

2. Order testing for a familial condition.

If there is a known genetic condition in your family, a genetic counselor may be able to order testing for you to see if you inherited the causative mutation. If you did, we are then able to walk you through the preimplantation genetic testing process on your embryos, called PGT-M. PGT-M allows us to see which embryos inherited the familial condition and select against those to transfer an embryo that should not inherit the condition.

3. Discuss and explain carrier screening results.

After undergoing genetic carrier screening, you may discover that you or your partner are carriers for one or more genetic conditions - even if you yourself do not have or show symptoms for that condition. The carrier screening tests for over 400 different genetic conditions, and most people are carriers for a few conditions that they have never heard of! If both you and your partner are carriers of the same condition, there’s a 1 in 4 chance of your child inheriting the condition. This information can feel overwhelming, which is why it may be helpful to have the support of a genetic counselor to explain your results and what they mean for your health, your offspring’s health, and your fertility journey.

4. Discuss your selected egg or sperm donor.

If you are choosing an egg or sperm donor to complete your reproductive journey, meeting with a genetic counselor is a required part of the process. They can help explain your carrier screening, the donor’s carrier screening, as well as walk you through any risks noted in the donor’s personal and family medical history. Oftentimes the donor and yourself will have had carrier screening performed at different laboratories. The genetic counselor will discuss the ins and outs of different gene panels as well as provide insight into any residual risk for having a child affected with a genetic condition.

5. Discuss the impacts of maternal age.

You may have heard that as women age, the chance for them to have a child with a chromosomal condition, such as Down Syndrome, increases. This is because the egg (which is the oldest cell in your body) becomes less efficient over time at evenly dividing its chromosomes during embryo development. A genetic counselor can help you understand your age-related risk and discuss a type of testing called PGT-A (preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy) to rule out chromosomally abnormal embryos during the IVF process to increase your likelihood for a successful transfer and decrease the likelihood miscarriage or of carrying a fetus with chromosomal conditions such as Down Syndrome.

6. Provide psychosocial support during a hard time.

Genetic counselors are trained in providing psychosocial support, which can be an important part of fertility treatment for a couple or individual. We understand that this process can be grueling and lonely, and know how important it is not to feel isolated on your journey. We are always here to talk on your good days and bad, and are ready to answer any questions and provide any resources you may need along the way.

If you’re interested in learning more about how a genetic counselor can support your family-building journey or are interested in scheduling an appointment to add a genetic counselor to your fertility care team, you can click here!