Genetic Counseling

Cedars-Sinai offers full genetic counseling services to all patients and couples at risk of genetic diseases or disorders.

Genetic counselors are healthcare providers with specialized graduate degrees and expertise in the areas of medical genetics and counseling. Trained to provide genetic counseling and risk assessment services, genetic counselors:

  • Identify families at risk
  • Evaluate the family for possible genetic disorders
  • Analyze inheritance patterns and risks or recurrence
  • Provide genetic testing information and test result interpretation
  • Make referrals to other healthcare providers as needed

Individuals and families who may benefit from genetic counseling include:

  • Persons or families with a history of congenital heart defects, cleft lip or palate, spina bifida, short stature or other physical birth defects
  • Persons or families with genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis, Huntington disease, muscular dystrophy, PKU, hemophilia and other inherited disorders
  • Persons or families affected with mental retardation, hearing or visual impairments, learning disabilities or other conditions that could be genetic
  • Persons with a history of certain cardiac, cancer, psychiatric or neurogenetic adult disorders
  • Persons with a history of multiple miscarriages, stillbirths or early infant deaths involving multiple congenital anomalies
  • Pregnant women at high risk due to abnormal MSAFP or ultrasound screening tests
  • Women age 34 or over who are pregnant or are planning a pregnancy
  • Pregnant women concerned about the effects of exposure to medication, drugs, chemicals, infectious agents, radiation or certain work conditions (This subspecialty is called teratology.)
  • Persons in specific ethnic groups or geographic areas with a higher incidence of certain disorders, such as Tay-Sachs disease, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, sickle cell disease or thalassemias
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