Which department should I go to for genetic testing if I plan to have a second child?

The current opening of the second-child policy has led many one-child families to join the ranks of fertility. They are trying hard to give birth to a healthy second baby. Among them, genetic genetic examinations are very popular, which can detect disease risks in time and improve the level of eugenics. If you plan to have a second child, which department should you go to for genetic testing? Let’s take a look at the explanation below.

Genetic testing is a technology that detects DNA through blood, other body fluids, or cells. There are three fundamental causes of disease: acquired gene mutations; the interaction between normal genes and the environment; and inherited gene defects.

Nowadays, many diseases are more or less related to genetics, so there is a demand for genetic testing in various departments. Pregnant women go to the obstetrics department, women go to the gynecology department, and after giving birth, they go to the neonatology department or pediatrics department. Some hospitals have genetics departments, but they are basically under the jurisdiction of major departments. For example, the prenatal diagnosis center under the obstetrics and gynecology department has a special genetics department. Some diseases affect intelligence and development, so go to the neurology department; some affect metabolism, so go to the endocrinology department; some affect the skin, so go to the dermatology department. Anyway, there are very few specialized genetics departments nowadays, but there should be some.

How are genetics tested?

1. Through gene sequence testing and combined with family medical history, we can more confidently predict your chances of developing a genetic disease. Genetic testing personnel use a special sampling stick to scrape exfoliated cells from the oral mucosa of the person being tested, or to draw blood samples.

2. Through advanced instruments and equipment, researchers can obtain DNA samples of the subjects from cells, perform DNA sequencing and SNP single nucleotide polymorphism detection on these samples, and clearly know the differences between the gene sequencing of the subjects and other people. By comparing with the gene samples of many types of diseases that have been discovered, it is possible to find out which disease susceptibility genes exist in the DNA of the subjects.

3. Through genetic gene testing, people can be provided with personalized health guidance services, personalized medication guidance services and personalized physical examination guidance services. Accurate prevention can be carried out years or even decades before the disease occurs, rather than blindly relying on health care; people can effectively avoid the environmental factors that cause disease through a variety of methods such as adjusting dietary nutrition, changing lifestyle, increasing the frequency of physical examinations, and receiving early diagnosis and treatment.