The Prenatal Clinic at Shaare Zedek Medical Center offers counseling for pregnant women and their partners, as well as to couples planning a pregnancy. The purpose is to determine if there is risk for a genetic problem with the fetus or with future offspring and, if needed, recommend the necessary genetic investigation.
The counseling is given based on genetic screening results, unusual ultrasound findings and unusual findings in biochemical tests (nuchal translucency, first trimester/combined blood tests, alpha-fetoprotein). The counseling also concerns familial diseases, their potential effect on offspring and the existing test options. In addition, separate counseling is given at the obstetric ultrasound unit to any woman who is planning to undergo an invasive prenatal test (amniocentesis, chorionic villus sampling, fetal blood). This counseling includes explanations about the test, the risks and the potential results. The institute also offers a Fetal Malformation Clinic that counsels on anomalous ultrasound findings.
Before visiting the clinic, please fax your referral letter and a payment guarantee.
When coming to the clinic, please bring with you all your pregnancy documentation, including results of previously performed genetic tests and medical documentation about familial diseases and genetic tests.
During the visit the counselor will review your medical history and prenatal history and create a family tree with all the relevant information about diseases and genetic problems. After this the counselor will explain the risk to the fetus and to future children and will review the existing investigation recommendations.
At the end of the visit you'll receive a summation letter that includes risk evaluations and recommendations. If a genetic investigation was performed, the letter will be given after the results will be received.
We offer invasive prenatal tests that include a CMA test, a quick QF-PCR test for five chromosomes (13, 18, 21, X, Y) and karyotype if needed, prenatal tests of the mother's blood, checks for common mutations in known genes, checks for known familial mutations and full sequencing of known genes.