Understanding Genetic Counseling for Egg Donors

Join Bailey Gaddis as she explains the family risk assessment or genetic assessment required by clinics. Learn what to expect during the call with a genetic counselor, including the types of questions you'll be asked about your family's medical history and how this information is used to assess potential risks for future children.

Bailey also shares tips on how to prepare for this straightforward and informative call, ensuring you understand the results of your genetic carrier screening. Whether you're an egg donor or simply curious about the process, this episode provides valuable insights into the beautiful underbelly of making, growing, and raising babies.

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
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(01:09):
When a person becomes an egg donor, the clinic that they're working with may
require what is called a family risk assessment.
Sometimes it's called a genetic assessment
and what this is is
just a phone call with a genetic counselor so

(01:29):
the donor agency that you're working with they of course connect you with the
genetic counselor that they work with they support you in scheduling the appointment
and then again it is a a phone call that essentially just goes over your personal
and family medical history.
So during this call, you know, our agency, we only connect donors with really

(01:55):
great, kind genetic counselors that make the process as easy as possible.
During this time, we advise the donor to have her donor profile with her so
she can review all of the family health history that she included in her profile.
And then the genetic counselor is going to ask about the overall health of the

(02:22):
donor's parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents.
If the donor has children, the health of the donor's children.
They might also ask, you know, specific questions such as, you know,
has anybody in the family ever had a miscarriage or, you know, a.

(02:46):
Disease such as Huntington's or cystic fibrosis.
Usually, if that is the case, you would have already provided that information.
But again, they will ask more specific questions as well.
And so you provide all of this information. If you have already had your genetic
carrier screening and you know if you are a carrier for certain gene mutations,

(03:10):
the genetic counselor can help you understand those results and what it means
for you and your future children.
So it can be a really interesting, helpful call for you.
After the call, the genetic counselor creates a report outlining everything
you talked about and then outlining if there is any potential risk to future

(03:38):
children because of the family health history.
So for example, if your mother and her sister both had breast cancer,
the genetic counselor then might recommend that you are tested for the breast
cancer gene, or in some cases,
they might recommend that a donor not move forward because of certain aspects

(04:02):
of her family health history,
which is of course disappointing but that
sometimes happens so again
pretty easy straightforward call nothing
to be intimidated about if you have any questions about this or any other questions
about pregnancy fertility motherhood let me know in the comments below you can

(04:27):
also email me directly at the email address provided in the video description.
If you can like, subscribe, comment, that would be so incredibly helpful.
That will allow me to keep providing this content for you guys. All right, love you!
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(04:52):
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(05:14):
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