Genetic counseling request and reproductive project

The request of prenatal or preconception genetic counseling may represent a key step for those who cope with reproductive choices in genetic risk situations, as it is well known from the literature. The current investigation aims to explore the processes of significance about the request of prenatal and preconception genetic counselling, emerging by an ampler research project, conducted at the Service of Cardiomyology and Medical Genetics in Naples. The goal is to analyse and integrate the psychological dynamics within the genetic counseling process. Transcripts of 17 semi-structured interviews are conducted with clients in a pre-counseling setting and they are analysed by Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as suggested by Smith and colleagues. From discussion of results, it can be inferred that the processes of access and the vicissitudes of knowledge are linked to the consequences that the sole choice to request genetic counseling can have on family and inter-/intra-generational ties. The pre-counseling moment seems to represent a space where clients and their families begin to explore a range of possibilities of use in the health relationship for complex informative and shared decisionmaking processes. It is in the management of these tasks the psychological function assumes a central role in a integrated perspective with the medical function and it contributes to the achievement of the aims of protecting and promoting health.

Keywords: Genetic counseling, reproduction at risk, decision-making processes.

• Making sense of risk diagnosis in case of prenatal and reproductive genetic counselling for neuromuscular diseases Antonella Zaccaro, Maria Francesca Freda, in Journal of Health Psychology /2014 pp.344
  DOI: 10.1177/1359105312470852

Antonella Zaccaro, Maria Francesca Freda, Domanda di consulenza genetica e progetto riproduttivo in "PSICOLOGIA DELLA SALUTE" 3/2012, pp 49-74, DOI: 10.3280/PDS2012-003004