Each person inherits one gene from the father and one gene from his mother's side. If both genes are relegated to the children is a normal gene, then the child will be normal. If a gene that normally obtained while one gene is a gene that sick again, then the child will live a normal life (do not show symptoms of illness), but he became the bearer of ill nature, because it can reduce the pain of genes to their offspring's future. That man is called a gene carrier sick. Whereas if the child inherited two genes that sick, then he will suffer from a disease called hereditary disease.
Now, Linda Nicholson, MS, MC, Consultant genetics of children's Hospital, Alfred I. DuPont, USA, revealed by genetic tests is not an impossible thing for you and your husband (or future husband), to detect early whether your child will later suffer from a disease that is derived from you or your spouse.
Disease that can be derived through genes, such as thalassemia, Down syndrome, hemophilia, muscular disorders, and congenital hypothyroidism. Surely, you will do everything for chronic diseases is not suffered by the little guy. Because of that, find out how below.
Who needs genetic testing?
- You are in a family there are people with thalassemia, hemophilia, and other hereditary diseases as mentioned earlier.
- You've had a miscarriage as much as 2 times or more.
- You will plan to have children over the age of 35 years.
When to test?
Should the examination be done before the couple married. However, in couples who are married and want to have children, or add the child, is also good if genetic testing for prevention. In addition to adults, genetic tests can also be performed in infants and fetuses that were conceived mother.
How to test
Generally, tests are done by taking blood samples and examine you or your partner to identify the genes sick. For thalassemia disease and hemophilia, detection can be performed at least 10 weeks old fetus. Examined is the DNA of fetal placental samples. Meanwhile, when the fetus has been aged a minimum of 16 weeks, examined DNA from amniotic fluid samples.
Chromosomal abnormalities of Down syndrome disease was detected in infants or fetuses by taking blood from the baby's umbilical cord or placenta tissue samples, or from amniotic fluid. Examination of the fetus carried the pregnancy aged between 10 to 16 weeks.
What if a positive test result?
If that is you and your partner tested, and the result is one (you or your partner) were known to be carriers of the gene while the only pain is normal, then your offspring safe against hereditary disease. At worst, your child's future is just as sick gene carriers.
However, if you and your spouse were both tested positive as carriers of the gene was sick, the doctor will usually hand over the decision to you both, whether the future will have children or not. Because, chances are your child's future offspring will suffer from the disease is 25 percent, 50 percent will become sick gene carriers, 25 percent will be normal (healthy).
