Genetic testing is becoming increasingly popular and prenatal genetic testing can hold a number of benefits both for the parents of the child and for the child itself. In this article we are going to look at the benefits that prenatal genetic testing can have for a family; however it is also important to realize that there are risks involved with prenatal genetic testing and in some instances it may be more advisable to do DNA tests after the birth of the child as opposed to before.
Paternity testing is one of the areas where genetic testing is becoming more popular as it is possible to show with 99.99% accuracy who the father of a specific child is through genetic testing. Prenatal genetic testing in this instance can help create stronger bonds between the family as the father will be assured that he is the father and so can have a family bond with the child and take responsibility for the child. This testing may also be done when the child is newborn or at any stage after that and it is important that the parents weigh the risks of prenatal genetic testing with the advantages of improved relationships from the start and possible financial benefits in terms of maintenance.
Prenatal genetic testing is also used to diagnose or predict the possibility of certain diseases. Downs Syndrome is one genetic disorder which has been studied for a number of years but there are a number of others including Huntington’s disease, sex-related disorders and others. In many cases prenatal genetic testing is advised in these cases as it allows the parents to make the best preparations for the child. Some of these diseases and disorders a child is born with and if there is no advance warning it could come as more of a shock for the parents and there would not be the same time to prepare for it. In other cases tests can be done after birth to determine the illness or disorder and it is up to the parents to take into account the risks associated with prenatal genetic testing and the advantages of finding out as to when they want to do it.
Prenatal genetic testing is used primarily in two different areas – namely to determine paternity and to diagnose or predict certain genetic disorders. Prenatal genetic testing, like most other prenatal testing techniques does hold a certain amount of risk and these need to be weighed against the advantages and benefits of having prenatal genetic testing done – these benefits including establishing stronger family relationships and possible advantages in terms of financial support in the case of prenatal paternity testing, and being able to prepare for genetic disorders.