As part of our dedication to excellence in patient-centered care, Mount Carmel offers genetic counseling services by certified and licensed genetic counselors.
What Is A Genetic Counselor?
Genetic counselors are healthcare professionals with advanced training in medical genetics and psychosocial counseling who partner with patients seeking information about inherited conditions affecting them or their families. Genetic counselors empower patients and their families with information, guidance and emotional support to help them understand their family history, evaluate genetic testing options, and make informed choices based on test results. The genetic counselors at Mount Carmel are certified by the American Board of Genetic Counseling and are licensed by the State Medical Board of Ohio.
What Happens During A Genetic Counseling Appointment?
During a genetic counseling appointment, a genetic counselor will ask questions about your personal and family history (draw your family tree), discuss your family history of disease, and if appropriate, discuss the risks, benefits, implications, and limitations of genetic testing. The genetic counselor will thoroughly review your genetic testing results with you. Your genetic counselor will then utilize information from your genetic counseling appointment and/or genetic testing to help you understand your risk for certain conditions and help communicate this information to your healthcare team in an effort to personalize your medical care.
When you become a patient, your entire family becomes a patient. Genetic counselors serve as advocates not only to the patient sitting in their office or on the phone, but also for their patient’s entire family – to ensure their brothers, mother, father, aunts, children and more can all benefit from genetic testing. Genetic counselors can provide emotional support, discuss how or if to deliver difficult findings to family members, and also provide recommendations for community support services.
Genetic Counseling At Mount Carmel:
Genetic counseling at Mount Carmel is offered as a complimentary/free service to our patients at any of our three convenient locations (Mount Carmel East, St. Ann’s, and Grove City), as well as the option of telemedicine appointments via telephone or video conferencing. Mount Carmel currently offers two genetic counseling specialties: Reproductive genetics (also known as prenatal genetics) and Cancer genetics:
Reproductive Genetics (also known as prenatal genetics):
Reproductive genetic counselors (also known as prenatal genetic counselors) specialize in genetic conditions or birth differences that can be passed from parent to child or occur brand new during a pregnancy. We work with OB/GYNs, Maternal Fetal Medicine specialists, and other healthcare providers to help families understand how genetics can affect their current or future pregnancies.
Although most babies are born healthy, there is a chance for any child to be born with a genetic condition and/or birth difference. Reproductive genetic counselors provide expert, individualized risk estimates to families who may have an increased chance to have a child born with a genetic condition and/or birth difference.
Common reasons that may increase the chance for a family to have a child with a genetic condition and/or birth difference include:
- Being 35 years or older at the time of delivery
- Having had a genetic test that has shown an increased risk for a genetic condition, such as Down syndrome, in your current pregnancy or future pregnancy
- Having ultrasound findings concerning for a birth difference or genetic condition in your pregnancy
- Having a personal or family history of birth difference or genetic conditions
- Having a history of infertility or multiple miscarriages
For families with any of the above history, your OB/GYN or primary care physician can refer you to meet with a Mount Carmel reproductive genetic counselor over-the-phone or in-person to review more details about you and your partner’s pregnancy and family histories. Based on this history, the genetic counselor will discuss with you the chance for your pregnancy or future pregnancy to have a genetic condition and/or birth difference. They will also discuss any genetic testing options that are available to help you learn more information about the health of your pregnancy or future pregnancy. Any genetic testing offered to you is completely optional, and the genetic counselor can help you decide if testing is the best decision for you and your family based on your personal values and beliefs.
Cancer Genetics:
The majority of cancers happen completely by chance. This is also known as sporadic cancer. However, up to 10% of cancers are hereditary, meaning they were caused by an inherited genetic change that is being passed on throughout a family. Cancer genetic counselors help to identify families at risk for hereditary cancer syndromes, which then informs individuals of the appropriate screening and management options available. These options are aimed to reduce cancer risk, detect cancer at earlier stages, prevent new cancers, or determine targeted therapy options for those with certain cancers. Cancer genetic counselors serve as a member of a person’s healthcare team to help further personalize their cancer treatment and/or cancer prevention plan.
A personal and/or family history of any of the following may increase the chance for a person to have a hereditary cancer syndrome:
- Younger age at diagnosis (50 years or younger)
- Multiple different cancers in one individual
- Rare cancers (ovarian, pancreatic, etc.)
- Multiple family members with the same type of cancer
- Multiple family members with related cancers (breast/prostate/ovarian, colon/stomach/uterine, etc.)
- Polyposis (the development of many colorectal polyps)
If any of the above features apply to you and/or your family, you may benefit from a cancer genetic counseling consultation. Additionally, a consultation may also be beneficial if you are concerned about your personal cancer risk or if you are just looking to gather more information about the role genetics plays in cancer.
Interested in a thorough cancer risk assessment? Contact the Mount Carmel Cancer Genetics Program at 614-234-6848 or visit Genetics, Mount Carmel Health, Columbus, OH to begin the self-referral appointment process or they can discuss a referral with their healthcare provider. During your appointment, the cancer genetic counselor will review your personal and/or family history of cancer, discuss the likelihood of a hereditary cancer syndrome in your family, provide education, and will explain and coordinate cancer genetic testing if you make the personal decision to proceed with testing. The genetic counselor uses your family history and/or cancer genetic testing results to collaborate with you and your physicians to determine an appropriate ongoing preventative care plan.