There are different ways genetic conditions can be passed down or inherited in families. We carry two copies of most of our genes, one inherited from each of our biological parents. Some genetic conditions happen when only one gene in a pair has a change. These are called dominant genetic conditions. Szalongevity carrier screening test does not screen for dominant genetic conditions. Szalongevity carrier screening tests for genetic conditions that happen when both copies of a gene pair have a change. These are called recessive genetic conditions. A carrier of a recessive genetic condition is someone who has a change in one of the genes in a pair.

A couple can have a child with a recessive condition when both the female and the male parent are carriers of the same condition. With each pregnancy, this couple has a 25% (1 in 4) chance of having an affected child.

If you are a carrier for a specific recessive condition, your partner may want to have carrier screening for the condition ordered by a healthcare professional. Your doctor or a local genetic counselor can help decide which carrier screen is best for your partner. If your partner screens positive for the same condition that you are a carrier for, different reproductive options can be considered.

If you are a carrier for an X-linked condition, you may want to speak with your doctor or a genetic counselor about your Horizon test results. Partner screening is not often recommended as a next step if you are a carrier for an X-linked condition as only the mother needs to be a carrier for the condition to pass it along to her child.

For many couples, knowing their carrier status before their baby is conceived enables them to make informed reproductive decisions that can impact their child’s future. Couples at risk for having a baby with a recessive or an X-linked condition have the opportunity to consider:

• Natural pregnancy with or without prenatal diagnosis such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis
• Other reproductive options such as: preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) with in vitro fertilization (IVF) to test and then transfer embryos free of the disease that both partners carry, use of a sperm or egg donor, or adoption

If you are a carrier for a specific recessive condition, your partner may want to have carrier screening for the condition ordered by a healthcare professional. Your doctor or a local genetic counselor can help decide which carrier test is best for your partner.

If you are a carrier for an X-linked condition, partner screening is not often recommended as a next step as only the mother needs to be a carrier for the condition to pass it along to her child.

Carrier screening during pregnancy can have life-altering benefits: It can help couples decide on prenatal diagnostic testing such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis, and if necessary, help them prepare emotionally, medically, and financially for a baby with a genetic condition.