Carrier screening you can do at home.

Carrier screening tells you whether you carry a gene change, a small difference in one of your genes, for certain inherited conditions, even though you are healthy. For most of these conditions it only affects a pregnancy when both partners carry a change in the same gene. Fragile X syndrome is the exception: it is passed down from the mother, so her result matters on its own.

Yes, and it comes with the test. A telehealth consultation with a doctor is included at no cost,* so you do not need to arrange a referral yourself.

We email you when your sample reaches the lab and again when your report is ready. The report is written for you to read rather than in clinical shorthand, and your telehealth consultation is the place to talk it through.

An increased chance means you and your partner both carry a change in the same gene, so there is a higher chance of having a child with that condition. It does not mean a pregnancy will be affected. If that is your result, a session with a genetic counsellor is included, and they take you through what it means and what your options are. Knowing early leaves you the most room to decide.

Yes. A telehealth consultation comes with every test, and if your results together show an increased chance, a session with a genetic counsellor is included too. Neither is billed separately.

Yes, and it matters: the chance that affects a pregnancy depends on both of you, so a couple's result tells you more than either result on its own.

Before you start trying is ideal. Screening still works early in pregnancy, and RANZCOG recommends it be offered to all women and couples planning a pregnancy.

Standard covers cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and fragile X syndrome, the three conditions Medicare funds. Extended covers more than 600 genes, including thalassaemia and hundreds of other inherited conditions.

No carrier screen covers every gene or every variant, so a clear result lowers the chance of a condition rather than ruling it out. Your report lists every gene your panel covered, and your GP can go through it with you.

Your genetic results are yours. They are held on encrypted servers, they are never shared with anyone else without your consent, and you can ask for your sample to be destroyed once testing is complete.

$0 out of pocket for Medicare-eligible patients.* Medicare bulk bills Standard carrier screening, which looks at cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy and fragile X syndrome. Extended screening is priced separately.

Private health insurance in Australia cannot use a genetic result to change your premium or refuse you cover. Life insurance works differently and the rules are changing, so check where things stand when you apply.