genetic testing

Cultural  

1. A process in which a person's or an embryo's DNA is isolated and tested for the presence of specific genes or defects that could indicate the future onset of some disease.

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In the United States, genetic testing is most often performed on alert prospective parents for possible problems during a pregnancy or the likelihood of congenital disease in a future child. The privacy of the results is one of the many difficult issues with this practice, particularly as it relates to insurance underwriting.