Genomics is the study of a person's genes including interactions across genes and a person's lifestyle and environment. In the context of lifespan, genetic testing can be used in family planning, for example, in carrier screening, prior to embryo implantation, and to identify rare but serious conditions in a fetus or during childhood. In adulthood, genetic testing can identify individuals with diseases (e.g., Huntington's, Alzheimer's) and those at risk for diseases, which can be caught early through proactive screening behaviors, or avoided through preventive medications and procedures (e.g., cancers, cardiovascular diseases). Postmortem, genetic testing can be used to make sense of and identify a family member's cause of death to determine if other family members may be at risk (e.g., sudden cardiac death). Before undergoing genetic testing, effective communication between patients and clinicians can facilitate informed decision making about the test. After testing, effective communication between patients and clinicians can support understanding and subsequent decision making related to the genetic test result. Genetics can be passed within families; therefore, if one family member pursues genetic testing, the results of that decision can affect the entire family in many cases. Thus, genetic testing has implications for communication across the lifespan.
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