This is a common question to come up when someone finds out they are a carrier of a certain condition. It is natural to think back to the family history to figure out where this may have come from. However, most of the conditions we end up being carriers of are rare and/or are unlikely to have impacted any of our relatives because of autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. It is important to know that being a carrier is normal. We are all carriers for at least one genetic condition like cystic fibrosis or sickle cell disease. Usually, being a carrier means you do not have any symptoms of the condition, but your children could, if your partner is also a carrier. Since carriers are usually healthy individuals, most people do not know they are a carrier until they do certain blood tests that check for carrier status or they have a child with that condition.

If you’re in the market for some sperm, you are not alone! There are a lot of people shopping alongside with you. The reason someone may need donor sperm can vary. Sometimes, the intended father’s sperm quality or quantity has been determined to decrease the chance for a successful conception. Other times, donor sperm is needed because the intended parent(s) is female. Often, when selecting sperm, certain characteristics are sought out like height, race, hair color, eye color, how much the donor resembles your own husband, etc. Another characteristic that can be included on that list is the clinic or organization your donor submitted his sperm sample to.

There is a lot of blood work and tests done during pregnancy. This post attempts to break down the testing offered and review the benefits and limitations of the following: multiple marker screening, cell-free DNA screening (also known as NIPT), diagnostic testing, and ultrasound scans. This post is not medical advice and will need to be verified with a person’s doctor.