by Claudia Boyd-Barrett posted in Pregnancy

If you?re pregnant or planning to get pregnant, don?t be surprised if your doctor offers you screening for inherited genetic disorders not typically associated with your ethnicity or that of your partner.
Last week, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) called on healthcare providers to offer carrier screening for certain genetic conditions to all couples instead of limiting screening recommendations to couples from certain at-risk ethnic groups.
Carrier screening checks to see whether you or your partner carry a genetic mutation that could cause a serious disorder in your baby. These rare genetic mutations are only a threat to your baby if both you and your partner carry them. Some disorders are more common among people from certain ethnic groups. However, many people have mixed ancestry, so it can be difficult to determine what their risk for genetic mutations is, ACOG said. iStock

As in the past, ACOG recommends all women be offered carrier screening for cystic fibrosis, one of the most common genetic disorders. Universal screening is now also recommended for spinal muscular atrophy, and a group of blood disorders known as thalassemias and hemoglobinopathies (this includes sickle cell disease).
Typically women are screened first. If a gene mutation is detected, the partner is screened also.
Preferably, you should get screened before you become pregnant so that you and your partner can make a more inf...