(Heba M. Ossama, MD (AEA-Scholars

Heba M. Ossama, MD (AEA-Scholars)

Association of Egyptian-American Scholars

Abstract:

Medical genetics is a relatively new specialty. The appreciation of genetics in medicine dates back well over a century. Over the years the field of medical genetics grew from a small clinical subspecialty concerned with a few rare hereditary disorders to a recognized medical specialty that’s important for the diagnosis and management of many disorders, both common and rare.

The medical geneticist usually a physician working as a part of a team of health care providers, to evaluate the patient for possible hereditary diseases.

Virtually any disease is the result of combined action of genes and environment, but relative role of the genetic component may be large or small. Among those who carry genetic factors, three main types are recognized; chromosomal disorders, single-gene disorders, and multifactorial disorders.

The importance of medical genetics in modern society arises from the fact that genetically predisposed medical conditions are a main cause of morbidity in different age groups, especially among children. Though individual genetic disorders are rare, collectively they comprise over 15,500 recognized genetic disorders.

Genetic disorder has been implicated as a cause of 20-30% of all infant deaths, 11.1% of pediatric hospital admissions, 50% of mental retardation,15% of all cancers, and 10% of the chronic diseases (heart, diabetes, arthritis) which occur in the adult populations have a significant genetic component.

Seeing a geneticist can help alleviate the anxiety of consanguineous couples or those with family history of genetic disorder, provide proper diagnosis and management to patients suffering from genetic disorders and give proper prenatal consultation as well as risk assessment regarding future pregnancies.

Answering the question of whether you need to see a geneticist and when exactly you need to do so? Can be of major help in providing a solution to many problems encountering the population in general and health care providers in specific

This article was published in 3alamaltanmya

sponsored by Future Builders International Academy

Led by Dr.Maha Fouad