Genetic testing during pregnancy (first trimester)

Genetic testing looks for specific inherited changes (sometimes called mutations or pathogenic variants) in a person’s genes that may increase the risk of diseases such as cancer.

About 5%–10% of all cancers are thought to be caused by harmful genetic changes that are inherited from a parent.

Cancer can sometimes appear to run in families even if there is not an inherited harmful genetic change in the family.

Genetic testing during pregnancy 12 weeks

For example, a shared environment or behavior, such as tobacco use, can cause similar cancers to develop among family members. However, certain patterns that are seen in members of a family—such as the types of cancer that develop, other non-cancer conditions that are seen, and the ages at which cancer typically develops—may suggest the presence of an inherited harmful genetic change that is increasing the risk for cancer.

Many genes in which harmful genetic changes increase the risk for cancer have been identified.

Having an inherited harmful genetic change in one of th

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