Patient's question:
My husband and I are fifth and fourth-generation collateral relatives. We want to have a child. What is the probability that the child will have problems? What prenatal diagnoses should be done during pregnancy? Should chromosomal testing be performed before pregnancy?Doctor's answer:
It is recommended that you visit the prenatal genetic counseling department. This department is usually established in university-affiliated hospitals or the genetics department of universities for consultation. If you are pregnant, regular prenatal examinations are necessary to assess the risk of Down syndrome (21-trisomy) and Edward syndrome (18-trisomy). It is advised that you undergo amniocentesis to test the fetal chromosomes before the 19th to 22nd week of pregnancy.