• Refer a patient for prenatal genetic counseling.
  

During pregnancy, and sometimes even before becoming pregnant, women and couples may consider genetic screening or testing. Family history may put a woman and her baby at an increased risk for birth defects and certain genetic conditions or she may have been told that her pregnancy is at an increased risk based on ultrasound or screening results.

At USF Health, our genetic counselor is a specialty-trained professional who works as part of our High-Risk Pregnancy and Maternal Fetal Medicine team, can meet with you before or during your pregnancy to discuss and help you understand your pregnancy screening and testing options and help you decide what is best for you and your family. Our genetic counselor can help order and coordinate genetic testing and when testing is completed can interpret these results and clearly explain them to you.  

Common reasons for being referred to a genetic counselor before or during your pregnancy may include:

• Discussion of genetic screening tests
• Discussion of prenatal diagnostic options, including amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS)
• Screening results indicating an increased chance for a genetic condition or birth defect
• Concerns on ultrasound during pregnancy
• Personal or family history of a birth defect or genetic condition
• Recurrent miscarriage
• Exposures to medications, drugs, or other possibly harmful substances
  
  

Once you have scheduled an appointment, please complete the patient forms and bring to the appointments.