Towards a Healthy Baby A$330
Preconception and prenatal diagnosis counselling are growing areas for health
care workers. Parents are becoming increasingly aware of the value of
preconception counselling including diet, folate and genetic screening. With the
advent of nuchal translucency scanning the field of prenatal diagnosis has
extended to women of all ages.
It is often taken for granted that a coupe
will be able to achieve a pregnancy naturally when they choose, yet 1 in 8
couples are infertile and in some cases this will be due to a genetic cause that
may have implications for future children. This module looks at the genetic causes
of infertility and available testing options. It also discusses the
psychological burden of genetic infertility on couples and support resources
available.
Genetic blood disorders constitute a
significant public health issue in both developed and developing countries. WHO
estimates that 5% of the world's population are carriers of a recessive blood
disorder, or haemoglobinopathy. This module will investigate the genetic basis
of common haemoglobinopathies such as Haemochromatosis, Thalassaemia,
Thrombophilia, Sickle Cell Anaemia and Haemophilia. It will look at carrier
screening options and the ethical issues it raises.
5-10% of all breast and bowel cancers are
due to genetic faults. General practitioners, nurses and allied health
professionals are increasingly being asked to answer questions regarding
inherited cancers and testing options. This module will give participants skills
in determining a persons risk of developing an inherited cancer based on family
history and will provide testing guidelines and insight into the issues
surrounding presymptomatic testing.
Intellectual handicap is one of the primary
indicators for referral to a genetics clinic. It is a characteristic of many
genetic conditions and is also often unable to be classified into a clear
diagnosis. This module will look at the common causes of intellectual handicap
including foetal alcohol syndrome and Fragile X. It will also discuss the
advances in mapping genetic causes of intellectual handicap already
underway.
Genetics is often thought to be rare
conditions that affect a small percentage of the population, yet 60% of people
are likely to develop a disease that is at least partially genetically
determined by the age of 60. This module gives an overview of the more common
genetic conditions and also discusses the growing area of multifactorial
diseases such as heart disease, spina bifida, and psychiatric conditions to name
a few.
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