genetic counseling

American  

[juh-net-ik koun-suh-ling] / dʒəˈnɛt ɪk ˈkaʊn sə lɪŋ /

noun

Medicine/Medical, Psychology.

1. the counseling of individuals with questions, concerns, or general interest in their genetic profiles and histories: genetic counseling can address issues that include inheritance patterns and risks to future offspring, personal risks of cancer and other diseases, and medical and psychological challenges of genetic predispositions.

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genetic counseling Scientific  

1. The counseling of individuals, especially prospective parents with respect to their offspring, about the statistical probabilities of inheriting genetic diseases and the nature, diagnosis, and treatment of such diseases.

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genetic counseling Cultural  

1. The practice of counseling a person about the results of genetic testing so that the results are accurately understood. The person being counseled may then make a more informed decision about any actions to be taken.

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Other Word Forms

• genetic counselor
  noun

Etymology

Origin of genetic counseling

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

Genetic counseling once relied more heavily on mathematics than medicine to predict the chance of hereditary handicaps.

From Time Magazine Archive