Genetic Consultation

Our genetic counseling is aimed at patients with diseases, malformations or other characteristics that may have a hereditary cause. Genetic counseling is a regular service of statutory health insurances, the costs of which - as well as private health insurances - are fully reimbursed.

Genetic counseling is useful…

If you are pregnant and…

an ultrasound examination was abnormal or showed evidence of a possible disease in the child
a non-invasive or invasive prenatal examination revealed an increased risk of a chromosomal disorder in the expected child
suffer from a hereditary disease
would like to learn more about prenatal testing
you have a family history of a genetic disorder or disability
you have had to take medication
you have had an infectious disease
you have had a radiological examination (X-ray, CT) or radiation treatment

If one or more of the following have occurred in your partneship...

Several miscarriages (more than two)
There is an unfulfilled desire to have children
There is a family relationship (intermarriage)

If one or more of the following have occurred in your family...

There is an increased incidence of tumors, e.g. colorectal cancer, breast cancer and/or ovarian cancer
There are chromosomal disorders are known, e.g. Down syndrome or translocations
There is a risk of a genetic disease that has already been diagnosed in relatives
There is a suspected/diagnosed genetic neurological disorder (e.g. polyneuropathy, ataxia, Huntington's disease, other gait and movement disorders, dementia) or genetic neuromuscular disorder (e.g. muscle wasting)
Growth disorders or abnormalities of the physique are present (tall and short stature, disproportions)
There is a suspicion of a genetic cause in heart (muscle) diseases, skin diseases (especially pigmentation disorders) or metabolic disorders (diabetes in young adulthood, genetic lipometabolic disorders, etc.).
Genetically caused fever syndromes or genetically caused blood coagulation disorders are suspected
Many other genetic disease risks are present

If one or more of the following applies to your child...

There is a syndrome diagnosis in the case of organ malformations, external abnormalities and/or a developmental delay (e.g heart defect and dwarfism)
The suspicion of mental retadation must be ruled out
The possible diagnosis of dwarfism (e.g. before growth hormone therapy) must be confirmed
The course of proven chromosomal changes (e.g. sex chromosomal mosaic in prenatal diagnostics) must be observed
There is a known familial hereditary disease with risk for the child and manifestation of the disease in childhood (e.g. in a child with siblings with thalassemia, familial Mediterranean fever, etc.)
The genetic cause must in metabolic diseases and endocrinopathies (e.g. adrenogenital syndrome, diabetes (MODY)) must be clarified

HOW TO REACH US
Genetic consultation

Appointments by appointment only.
Please note the requirements
for making an appointment.

Phone accessibility:
Mo-Fr 9.00-15.30

Phone +49 (0) 511 - 30 17 95 1010
Fax +49 (0) 511 - 30 17 95 1019
e-mail

Practice address:
Schiffgraben 30, 30175 Hannover, Germany

PROCEDURE

Collection of personal health history (anamnesis)
Creation of a family tree
Evaluation of existing medical findings/reports
Physical examination of the patient and his family, if necessary also examinations of blood or other tissues
Information on the disease/impairment in question
assessment of personal genetic risks ("recurrence risk")
Counseling on the possible significance for life and family planning as well as the patient's health
Referral to self-help groups

Duration of a counseling session: usually 30-60 minutes. If necessary, further consultations are offered.

What should you bring to Genetic Counseling?

Letter of referral from the attending physician
Medical findings or reports of findings (please send to the referring practice in advance by mail or fax)
If a gene mutation has already been detected in the family: Original findings of the genetic diagnostics of the affected family member
For the family tree: family health history up to the grandparent generation (birth and death dates, diseases, causes of death, miscarriages, prematurely deceased children)
For children and adolescents: yellow examination booklet

COSTS

Provided that the responsible medical person (according to GenDG) gives an indication for an examination, human genetic services can be billed to the associations of statutory health insurance physicians.

Private patients receive an invoice in which the laboratory services provided are clearly summarized. This must be submitted to the private health insurance company. We recommend obtaining prior reimbursement approval from the health insurance company, as the reimbursability of the service in individual cases depends on the individual insurance tariff.

Human genetic testing can also be offered as a self-pay service. In this case, the costs must be borne by the patient without the possibility of reimbursement.