How to approch my doctor?

ramadrid

Hello everyone,

I have been lurking for a while trying to figure out where the best place to ask my question. So here goes... I have been thinking about babies more and more often lately, but I've never been the type of girl that thought I'd ever have kids. My DH and I have decided that someday it would be nice to have a child, but that today is not that day.

In the meantime, I am a super control freak and plan things down to the very last details, whenever I have the opportunity. I realize that having a kid is not that simple and have no illusions about what I can plan for and what I can't. That being said, since we are not currently TTC, we would like to know if either one of us has any genetic issues that need to be addressed ahead of time. That way we can make the decision to have biological children or to adopt when the time comes.

I know that a lot of people are against genetic testing, but I feel like we have the opportunity to take advantage of it before any serious decisions would be made. So I live in a relatively small area and I don't know how to bring up my questions with my doctor? Or which doctor to ask for that matter, my GP or Gyno? And since my Gyno is an OB/GYN, and typically helps women get pregnant, I'm not sure how she will feel if we decide to make sure I don't get pregnant.

Has anyone dealt with anything like this before? TIA

princess1686

i would bring it up with your OB/ GYN, since she will have more specialized experience with this, relatively speaking. It's her job NOT to judge, but to help you be healthy, so she should have no problem talking to you about avaoiding a pregnancy--that's part of her job too! I would ask her what she offers in terms of pre-conception counseling, if and when that time comes for you and your hubby. Good luck!

KdgTeacher

An OB/GYN doesn't help you get pregnant.  Is there a reason/history that is making you go for genetic testing?  You may also want to check with insurance to see what, if anything, is covered.  It can get very $$$$ if it isn't.

mandacann

I would bring it up with your OB/GYN. I just had an appointment to get my mirena out and voiced some concerns before I get pregnant and he referred me to a genetic counselor. 

Twinkie0612

KdgTeacher:

An OB/GYN doesn't help you get pregnant.  Is there a reason/history that is making you go for genetic testing?  You may also want to check with insurance to see what, if anything, is covered.  It can get very $$$$ if it isn't.

This.  DH has to be screened for CF because I am a carrier.  Our insurance denied the claim and the bill for screening for just that one condition was $1000 (we are appealing the claim, since we were told it would be covered since I am a known carrier).  

 

ramadrid

We don't have any reason to do genetic counseling other than I just want to know. I think maybe I'm overthinking this whole issue, and just need to chill out on the whole thing for a while longer. Since I've never been the "I'm gonna have kids and I know what their names will be" kind of girl, now that I am thinking about I want to be in control of everything, and that just doesn't seem to be an option.

 Thanks for the info ladies!