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One of the benefits of going to a Jewish founded college is you get a lot of free or discounted things thrown at you. I walked into the dining hall today to see a student tabling for Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish genetic testing. This blood test includes screening for some of the most commonly found Jewish-specific genetic diseases including Tay-Sachs, cystic fibrosis (which is also found outside the Jewish community so this testing is open to anyone at the school- Jewish or not), and Bloom's disease. The testing cost is drastically reduced from what it would be in the "real world" by donors.
So to me, it was a no brainer. I signed myself up immediately because I want to know and be able to prevent as much as I can in those regards. However, despite there being a full cafeteria (300+ kids), there were only 5 names on the list before mine. By the time I left the cafeteria, there were only about 15. I couldn't help overhearing other conversations from people saying that they "just don't want to know" or think it's playing God.
So what about everyone else? Were you and your partner tested before you had children? Do you regret it? If you don't have children, would you get tested?
We weren't tested, but only because we don't belong to any of the "at risk" groups and there is no family history of anything. If I were Jewish, or of any other descent (sp?) that is prone to certain diseases I would definatley have been tested. I don't think it's playing God. I think it's more along the lines of responsible parenting.
So what about everyone else? Were you and your partner tested before you had children? Do you regret it? If you don't have children, would you get tested?
We were not tested for anything, I had my children in my 20's when risks are pretty low. Also, nothing serious runs in either of our families.
If I were to get pregnant now, I probably would not get tested for anything. It wouldn't matter because my husband and I would not abort our child anyway.
We were not tested for anything, I had my children in my 20's when risks are pretty low. Also, nothing serious runs in either of our families.
If I were to get pregnant now, I probably would not get tested for anything. It wouldn't matter because my husband and I would not abort our child anyway.
This kind of testing isn't something you would have once already pregnant. It's testing your genes to see if you are a carrier for a genetic disease, so no abortion would be involved and age and the diseases your family has hold no bearing (ie a child could be the only one in generations of a family to have Tay-Sachs... everyone in the family could be a carrier but not have the actual disease). Just to clarify!
This kind of testing isn't something you would have once already pregnant. It's testing your genes to see if you are a carrier for a genetic disease, so no abortion would be involved and age and the diseases your family has hold no bearing (ie a child could be the only one in generations of a family to have Tay-Sachs... everyone in the family could be a carrier but not have the actual disease). Just to clarify!
oh sorry!!! Duh, key word genetic!!!!! My mind started wandering and I was thinking of Down Syndrome, etc..
So then my answer would be yes, if I or my husband would be at risk.
Haha it's fine.. there's so many kinds of testing that it's confusing! A lot of students made the same mistake when the guy at the table flagged them down. "But I'm not pregnant... Do I LOOK pregnant?"
I can definately answer your question with yes. I saw a genetic counselor during my pregnancy with my son. I didn't have any testing done prior to getting pregnant because my pregnancy was a surprise. Since my brother was born with a rare chromosome disorder called 18Q- (part of his 18th chromosome is missing), my OB recomended I see a genetic counselor at my first prenatal appointment. After speaking to the genetic counselor and explaining my brother's condition, she explained how chromosome disorders can be passed on and said it sounded like what he has is a freak accident during conception and not hereditary. She said they could do a chromosome study on me and if my chromosmes come out normal, then I am not a carrier of anything and my chances of having a child with a chromosome disorder are the same as anyone elses. Thank God, my chromosome study came out normal! I know first hand how difficult raising my brother has been for my parents, it was a HUGE relief to know my chances of having a child with a chromosome disorder were not increased due to my family history.
Even if you do have a predisposition to 'whatever' - its unlikely a doctor can do something to eliminate that chance.
IF you live a healthy lifestyle- eat healthy, exercise, avoid alcohol and smoking- basically all the stuff we 'know' but may not 'live', it will be your best defense against *most* health problems. Regular check ups and doctors visits and preventative measures go a long way in keeping us healthy. Skin cancer runs in my family- so I don't exactly go to tanning booths and lay out for hours baking myself!
No matter what you do, death will come. How you live your life and treat others is the true measure of what that life was worth! Not the number of days you were here.
DH was tested as a teen for Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. Mother was carrier, 2 brothers died before their teens. He was tested even if males are not carriers, and we did go for genetic counselling before I got pregnant.
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