Who am I?

What is genetic testing?

Genetic testing is usually offered to people with a relative affected with a genetic condition. Genetic tests on a small blood sample, or a few cheek cells, can show who is an unaffected carrier of some recessive conditions (like cystic fibrosis) or if someone is likely to develop a condition in later life (like Huntington’s disease). Sometimes, doctors use tests to confirm their diagnosis. Testing a fetus before birth can be offered to couples with a high risk of having a child with a serious genetic condition.