# Behind the Carrier Screening Test

Behind the Carrier Screening Test

What actually happens after carrier screening is ordered? The process starts simply. A small blood or saliva sample is collected and sent to a specialized genetic testing laboratory for analysis. Results typically come back to your healthcare provider within a few weeks.

For each condition on the panel, the results will identify you as either a carrier or a non-carrier. The risk to a future child depends on the specific condition and inheritance pattern. For autosomal recessive conditions (the majority of what carrier screening covers), if both reproductive partners carry the same autosomal recessive condition, there is a 25 percent chance, or one in four, of having a child affected by that condition.  X-linked conditions may be detected in a genetically female intended parent, and this may entail risk for a genetically male child.  Any high-risk results are reviewed with a genetic counselor, who will walk through what your findings mean and answer any questions.

Testing requirements can vary by physician and by practice, so your healthcare provider is the best source for what applies to your specific plan of care. If you are using an egg donor, a sperm donor, or both, it is recommended to consider the donor's carrier screening results before making your final selection.

Carrier screening results are a starting point, not a final answer. A genetic counselor can walk through what any result means and what, if anything, comes next.
