Ashkenazi Jewish Genetic Panel (AJGP)

Should I Be Tested?

The decision to be tested is a personal one. You may wish to be tested if you are concerned that you or your partner might be a carrier of a disease that is on the test panel. Being a carrier is more likely if you have a family member with the disease.

Some people decide to be tested to know their chances for having a child with a disease. For example, among people of Eastern European Jewish heritage, about 1 in 25 is a carrier of a gene for cystic fibrosis (CF). The CF gene is less common in other racial and ethnic groups.

Carrier tests are expensive. Another factor that may guide the decision to have the tests is whether the cost of the tests is covered by your insurance company.

You may decide to have carrier tests if you are already pregnant and the test results will affect your decision to continue your pregnancy or help you make decisions about caring for your baby.

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Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS	Last Updated: April 23, 2008
Medical Review:	Sarah Marshall, MD - Family Medicine Siobhan M. Dolan, MD, MPH - Reproductive Genetics
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