Jewish Weddings

genetic testing

Hi,
If you are doing or have done preconception genetic testing, did both of you get tested? Or just one of you? It's sort of expensive, so I was thinking maybe just I would get tested and then have the husband get tested if I came up as a carrier for anything, but then I could see being really stressed until getting his results if I was a carrier.
How did you do it? What did you learn during the process?
Thanks!
(I asked at my book club about this the other day and they all looked at me like I was crazy. None of them are Jewish.)

Re: genetic testing

  • 2dBride2dBride member
    5 Love Its First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    My son and his wife both got tested before their wedding.  If you check out 23 and Me, they have genetic testing for a total of $207 each.  (It's $99 for the original test, plus a commitment of $9/month for the first 12 months.)  Given the importance, it seems like it would be worth getting both of you tested.
  • LBRM_NJLBRM_NJ member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    We both got tested, but, our insurance covered it.  It was good to have that information on both of us.

    Interestingly, 4.5 years into TTC, when we moved from using my eggs to using donor eggs, Glenn had to get tested again because, in that time, they had added a number of new tests to the jewish panel.
    Lisa
    The Knot lost my info, but, I've been married since 6/19/05!
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  • edited December 2011
    We're both planning on getting tested.  My gyno said she could test me for certain things, but if FI wanted to be tested too she recommended we both go to a genetic counselor.  We're about to start researching where to go that will take both our insurance plans.
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  • edited December 2011
    We did not do pre-conception testing because I am "mixed" (aka - from both sides of Europe) and DH is Ashkenazi. However, we DID do testing during 1st trimetster in our first pregnancy and I came back negative for everything. Mine was done through my midwife/OB practice at the same time as my regular blood work. We ended up in genetic counseling for something else which just gets me started on the whole testing during pregnancy stuff and that is a WHOLE other topic.

    If your insurance covers it, I would definitely do it prior to conception. If not, I would look around. Our JCC had a genetic screening fair recently and I think they were doing it really cheap.
    The Knot won't share my Bump Siggy, so here's the low-down: 4/27/07 - Got engaged! 8/31/08 - Got married (to my best friend)! 12/30/08 - Got Pregnant! 9/3/09 - Welcome to the world, Elias Solomon! 8/16/10 - Got Pregnant, again! 5/14/11 - Welcome to the world, Talia Hadassah! 1/14/12 - Ready or not, here comes #3 (EDD 9/27/12)
  • edited December 2011
    i got tested, but DH did not.  i came up as not a carrier for any of the 6 that i was tested for, but we didn't go further with the testing.  there are about 16 tests on the list, but here in canada they only test for the standard 6, and that's for free. 

    are you sure you have to pay?  i don't exactly know how it works in the USA, but, i thought there were some jewish organizations that will do the genetic testing for free if you are of ashkenazi descent.  

    this group http://www.jewishphilly.org/page.aspx?id=71539 is in Philly but there may be others who do free testing. i really recomend you checking it out. 
  • edited December 2011
    Our was covered by insurance.  I was tested first and the only reason that my fiance was tested was because I came back as a carrier for one of the diseases.  Otherwise, if I came up clean, he wouldn't have been tested. 

    I'm curious as to why a husband would get tested if the wife isn't a carrier.  I thought the genes for the "Jewish diseases" were recessive so a child can't be affected unless both parents are carriers.  How does having the additional information benefit you?
  • LBRM_NJLBRM_NJ member
    First Anniversary First Comment
    edited December 2011
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/cultural-wedding-boards_jewish-weddings_genetic-testing-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Cultural Wedding BoardsForum:399Discussion:d8706b90-31f9-49cc-8d56-4cd5c8ff8500Post:b6ca18af-8850-40ea-918d-0798445c432d">Re: genetic testing</a>:
    [QUOTE]Our was covered by insurance.  I was tested first and the only reason that my fiance was tested was because I came back as a carrier for one of the diseases.  Otherwise, if I came up clean, he wouldn't have been tested.  I'm curious as to why a husband would get tested if the wife isn't a carrier.  I thought the genes for the "Jewish diseases" were recessive so a child can't be affected unless both parents are carriers.  How does having the additional information benefit you?
    Posted by sterbs[/QUOTE]

    In our case, we were actively TTC and, rather than waiting for my results to come back and, if something showed, then having to wait for his results to come back, and, since it was completely covered, my OB just said we might as well do both of us. 
    Lisa
    The Knot lost my info, but, I've been married since 6/19/05!
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    Baby Birthday Ticker Ticker My Blog - "Helping Make Sense"
  • dombygatenbydombygatenby member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks, ladies!
  • edited December 2011
    I appreciated these responses, too, and thanks dombygatenby for asking!
  • edited December 2011
    I had testing done and when mine came back postive for cystic fibrosis, FI went and got tested.

    Dom, you should look and see if your local Jewish center has genetic testing, which is what FI and I did in Chicago. If your insurance doesn't cover it, it might make sense to go somewhere else where it is cheaper (ours was about $120 and included dinner). There was a couple at my table from Michigan who came in just for this.

    Also, JoelsGirl, my rabbi was very specific that people with mixed heritage need to get tested. The genetic disorders are actually more common in mixed heritage people because they don't get tested.
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  • edited December 2011
    Orawah - There are over a dozen genetic diseases (like Tay Sachs and Cystic Fibrosis) that are more common in Ashkenazi Jews and something like 20% of them carry the gene for at least one of them.  The diseases are very serious and often fatal so Jewish couples (not sure to what extent it's limited to Jews of Ashkenazi decent) typically undergo genetic testing to determine if they are carriers of these specific diseases.  My understanding is that both parents need to be a carrier in order to pass on the possibility of disease to the children.
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