genetic What is
testing?
In general, medical diagnosis is based on the patient's history and symptoms along with lab tests. Meanwhile, genetic testing checks for abnormal changes through the analysis of cells or tissues collected from blood samples, buccal swabs, or amniotic fluid in pregnant women. Saliva or skin samples are also possible in some cases.
What are the benefits of genetic testing?
• Helps predict future health. Makes it possible to plan for disease prevention appropriately. • Reduces the risk of drug allergy and helps predict drug response, enabling the right choice of medicine and dosage. • Provides a planning guideline for family members when detected with certain diseases and genetic conditions. • Understanding our genes helps us understand both our own and our family members’ health issues.
People to benefit from genomic screening include:
Couples planning to start a family as the testing can achieve the following:
• find out if the prospective parents carry abnormal genes that can pass diseases on to the children • analyze the embryos for abnormal genetic codes before implantation where assisted reproductive technology such as in vitro fertilization is involved • detect abnormalities in the genetic codes that can cause diseases in infants • look for genetic diseases in unborn children
People with a family history of inherited diseases or those seeking to know if they may have inherited diseases • Heart diseases, cancer, diabetes, etc. • Those with diseases wishing to confirm if they are due to genetic abnormalities • Those wishing to know how severe the diseases they have can turn out • Genetic testing helps doctors decide on the most appropriate types and dosage of medicine for individual patients.
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