AIBU to get expanded genetic testing

[yogo123]

Have you or would you choose to do it before ttc? Would it affect whether you chose to have children if it flagged up some life changing condition? and which ones ?

Asking out of interest, personally I think it is something I will do in the future. Just want to hear others' views.

We had genetic testing done as part of our ivf. It was interesting to see the results, luckily nothing too awful came back and we were able to have regular ivf and not the genetic one.

I personally think it’s a good idea to have the test, but what I’d have done if the results had come back with something unavoidable I don’t know.

If you want to then do it, why would that be unreasonable?

Lockheart - as stated in the post, " I just want to hear other views on it".

We TTC for 9 years. 5 years in to it and 4 miscarriages later we had the genetic testing which answered why (chromosome translocation) we continued to TTC and had 2 further miscarriages but at least we understood why and I knew fo a fact it was nothing I could have done.. previously wondering if I'd done something to trigger the miscarriages.

I wish I'd known about and had the genetic testing earlier.

The chromosome translocation that my DH carries causes extreme disabilities that won't survive outside the womb.

Not me but best friends have had genetic testing to check for carrier status after their DS was born with a rare condition. Thankfully they're not carriers so just 'luck of the draw' means further DC don't have an enhanced chance of getting the same condition - interesting and necessary

The thing is though that you cannot test for all chromosomal disorders so is there actually any point? You might did cleared for certain ones but it is no guarantee that you won't have a child that doesn't have one.

Regarding chromosome disorders my son has one that has affected him in many ways and he is disabled ,his disorder can either be inherited from a,parent or in his case De Novo, is it's happened randomly , and it isn't something that would be tested for or even be detected during pregnancy .

Also regarding chromosome disorders ,people can have the same chromosome disorder as my son and not be affected or have few issues any issues only become apparent as the child develops .

I understand that you can't test for everything, but I can see that testing would mean you were doing everything you could to prevent yourself having a child with a detectable disorder.

I wouldn't do it for myself personally. I don't want it hanging over my head if I've got the gene for something awful like Huntingdons or Parkinsons (I likely do have the potential for Parkinsons but I'd rather not know for certain as I'll never stop thinking about it then). But then I've already had my children so it would be too late to consider them in this. If I was childfree I might think about doing it as passing on those things wouldn't be something I'd want to do.

Friends of mine who have had known genetic issues in the family somewhere have done it or friends doing IVF or following recurrent miscarriage or following the birth of e.g. a first child with a chromosomal abnormality to see if it is likely to happen to more planned children. I think in such cases it might be available on the NHS. But testing everyone randomly does not make sense. As mentioned above, a chromosomal abnormality can happen randomly with no genetic link. What is more, you will not know the repercussions until a child is older. The question is also whether testing during actual pregnancy is more accurate? Of course some tests are invasive and carry a miscarriage risk.