Methods and effects of prenatal genetic testingI. IntroductionPrenatal genetic testing has become one of the largest and most influential advances in the field of clinical genetics today. “Of the more than 4,000 genetic traits identified to date, more than 300 are identifiable through prenatal genetic testing” (Morris, 1993). Every year thousands of couples subject their lives to the results of prenatal tests. For some the information may represent a sigh of relief, for others a tear of terror. The psychological effects following a prenatal test can be devastating, leaving a woman with a decision that will affect the rest of her life. For couples with prior knowledge of genetic diseases in their family and concerned parents, prenatal genetic testing is part of normal pregnancy. verify. Making an appointment with a genetic counselor may seem strange or even scary to some, yet others consider it a very common step taken by many Americans today. The desire to have a "normal" child is harbored by every parent and only now are we beginning to have the ability to select for that child. In preparation for receiving genetic testing, parents are required to meet with a genetic counselor. A detailed description of the testing methods is reviewed with the pair, as well as the risks each entails. After understanding the procedures, the counselor discusses the many possible outcomes that could be a result of the diagnosis. Finally, before any testing is performed, either parent's anxieties and the parents' psychological well-being are addressed.II. Genetic Testing MethodsProcedures performed today are designed to assess the likelihood that a fet...... middle of paper......s.Clarke, A. (1994). Genetic counseling: practice and principles. London: Routledge.Fackelmann, K. (1994). DNA dilemmas: readers and "experts" weigh in on biomedical ethics. Science News, 146, 408-499. Mennuti, M. T. (1989). Prenatal diagnosis: progress brings new challenges. The New England Journal of Medicine, 320, 661-663. Morris, D. T. (1993). Cost containment and reproductive autonomy: Prenatal genetic screening and the American Health Security Act of 1993. American Journal of Law & Medicine, 20, 295-316. Spielman, B. (1995). [Review of women and prenatal testing]. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 23, 199-201. Rothenberg, K., & Thomson, E. (1994). Women and prenatal tests. Columbus: Ohio StateUniversity Press.Watson, J.D., Gilman, M., Witkowski, J., Zoller, M. (1992). Recombinant DNA. New York: W. H. Freeman and Company.