Trisomies, Pregnancy Loss, and Options Counseling
Janine Mash is a certified genetic counselor and the founder of San Francisco Genetic Counseling, a private practice genetic counseling service. She specializes in reproductive and prenatal genetic counseling, which means that pregnancy loss and trisomies specifically have come up a lot in her career. As an expert in the field, Janine is passionate about Options Counseling as it relates to pregnancy—making sure that patients are aware of the available testing options and are able to make informed decisions about the many increasing number of testing options during pregnancy.
Clinical Expertise and Professional Path
Janine’s path to genetic counseling and her experience in genetic testing labs as well as clinical practice provides a deep foundation for her work. She focuses on the normalization of pregnancy loss—and taking an active role in your pregnancy planning and decisions. To support this, Janine shares her own story of pregnancy loss as well as her perspective on Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) and Expanded Carrier Screening.
Reproductive Health and Screening Overview
The following table outlines critical areas of clinical focus based on Janine’s experience with trisomies, pregnancy loss, and options counseling:
| Clinical Topic | Key Focus Areas |
|---|---|
| Aneuploidy | Impact of trisomies and other aneuploidies on fertility and miscarriage |
| Assisted Reproduction | Aneuploidy in the context of IVF and PGS |
| Prenatal Screening | Changes in screening for trisomies during pregnancy—including Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) |
| Genetic Testing | Expanded Carrier Screening and patient story related to genetic testing on products of conception (POC) |
Core Components of Genetic Counseling
In her clinical practice, several key themes frequently arise for patients navigating reproductive challenges:
- Options Counseling!: Making sure that patients are aware of the available testing options.
- Pregnancy Loss: Miscarriage… and recurrent miscarriage.
- Carrier Screening: Understanding Expanded Carrier Screening.
- Proactive Planning: Normalization of pregnancy loss—and taking an active role in your pregnancy planning and decisions.
Specialized Care in Prenatal Genetics
The practice addresses the impact of trisomies and other aneuploidies on fertility and miscarriage. Furthermore, patients benefit from understanding changes in screening for trisomies during pregnancy—including Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS). By combining Janine’s path to genetic counseling and her experience in genetic testing labs, the service aims to help patients navigate the increasing number of testing options during pregnancy.