Your appointment may be in person, over the telephone or through a video call. You will be encouraged to attend with your partner. If you would like, you can bring a support person with you, such as a friend or relative. The appointment will last for around 45 minutes (depending on the centre). During the appointment, your genetic counsellor will ask you questions about your family history and may ask you about whether you are planning to have any other children in future. They do this because, in a small number of cases, a parent might have a typical number of chromosomes (i.e., 46), but these chromosomes are arranged in such a way that it makes it more likely for their children to inherit an additional copy of a particular chromosome. Genetic counsellors will talk to you about whether you would like to have genetic testing to find out whether your chromosomes are arranged in this way (this is called having a ‘balanced translocation’) or not. If you decide to have a genetic test, you may be asked to sign a consent form (if your appointment is in person). Your genetic counsellor will also discuss how you would like to receive your genetic test results (i.e., phone call, in person appointment, video call or letter) and they should give you an indication of how long you will have to wait to receive the test results. 

During the appointment, you should have the opportunity to ask any questions you have.