For anyone who has had genetic testing.....

Question

I have an appointment with a fertility specialist for genetic counseling on Tuesday because I just had my third miscarriage. This may be a stupid question but I was just curious, what types of questions should I ask my family members, other than the obvious (any diseases)?

Answer 1

You will want to get a history of things such as substance abuse, adoptions in the past you may not be aware of, diabetes, melanoma, all cancers, STDS (specifically HPV, HIV, AIDS), and you should also learn about any possible inbreeding in past generations... this will have an effect on you.

Generally, just get as much info as you can get. What you do not learn from family members you will learn from the testing.  

Answer 2

I haven't had genetic testing done myself, but I did have to see a genetic counselor when we thought there was some risk of genetic issues with my baby (turned out to be fine, thankfully).  Since you are struggling with miscarriage I would probably start by asking your close relatives if they experienced any similar issues with trying to get or stay pregnant.  All of the genetic diseases are good to ask about.  Additionally things like still births, and birth defects like club foot, cleft palate, and spina bifida are good things to ask about because those could be associated with genetic issues.  Hope it all works out for you!