Genetic Preconception and Prenatal Counseling
Wendy C. McKinnon MS
Elizabeth Dorsey Smith EdD, RN
William T. Seed MD, FAAP
PART 1 Genetic Counseling
Wendy C. McKinnon MS
INTRODUCTION
The financial and societal costs resulting from genetic conditions are significant. Last estimates of the incidence of genetic disease in newborns were between 5% and 6% (Baird, Anderson, Newcombe, & Lowry, 1988). Although current estimates are unavailable, past studies show that 52% of pediatric hospitalizations (Hall, Powers, McIlvaine, & Ean, 1978), 42% of pediatric deaths (Roberts, Chavez, & Court, 1970), and 11.5% of adult inpatient admissions (Emery & Rimoin, 1990) were attributable to genetic conditions. Preconception genetic risk assessment may direct screening and testing for unsuspected genetic disorders in individuals of childbearing age, helping to provide a more accurate assessment of risks for future offspring (Cohn, Miller, Gould, Macri, & Gimovsky, 1999).