Question: My daughter in law just advised us that she is five weeks pregnant. We are overjoyed but unexpectedly, I am overcome with anxiety that maybe I should have advised them to get genetic testing For the following reason. My husband is 75 years old. About 15 years prior to his birth, his mother had a daughter. She told me and her other daughters that it was a Trumatic birth resulting in oxygen deprivation and the baby. The baby subsequently had seizures, projectile vomit Ing, impaired growth and constant crying . She lived with the family for a few years, but was then institutionalized and died at about age 18 . For some reason, I guess given all of the news and talk now about genetic testing etc., I question whether there might also have been a genetic defect involved. My husband's mother went I on to have three other healthy children. They have all had multiple healthy birth – there have been approximately 40 births since then. I can only imagine the anxiety and consternation I would have caused had had I constantly been bringing up the possibility of a birth defect when in fact that was only my conjecture – his mother was very clear it was oxygen deprivation. Obviously since my daughter is now newly pregnant, this is not a concern I want to lay on her. My husband has always believed his mothers recollection completely and never questioned it. He believes alerting a generation to a problem that he believes there is no evidence existed is unfair and unkind . My son and daughter-in-law recently had "23 and me" genetic testing done and it was all clear , thank God. If there was a genetically inherited birth defect, woukd itvhave shown up there ? Of course my daughter-in-law will get all the routine screening's throughout the pregnancy – would any birth defects showvup therev as well? And I honestly am shocked that it is suddenly dawning on me at this time. But it is giving me great concern that I was remiss in not suggesting further genetic testing. My question to you is this. Could oxygen deprivation at birth have been responsible for the constellation of symptoms I described I.e., seizures, projectile vomiting, constant crying indicating pain, and impaired growth , possibly heart implications given her early death. Are the se symptoms indicative of any particular birth defect or more likely the result of oxygen deprivation, a birth trauma more common almost 100 years ago. Thank you so much for understanding a grabdmother's heart. Did I drop the ball?

Thank you-your information is very reassuring. My follow up is whether the symptoms ithe poor child had , e.g., seizures, crying relentlessly, vomiting, impaired growth sound like the result of oxygen deprivation and not a specific birth defect? I understand you are saying it would have shown up again . I have been reluctant to encourage genetic testing out of concern for alarming them- we know that just because you may carry a disease does not mean you will - and the uncertainty of the knowledge might be a burden. After this pregnancy is finished, do you think my mother-in-law's situation would justify genetic testing.? I believe I told you they have already Had this new " 23 and me"- all clear--to be honest, the only disability that has twice shown up in all of the 40 offspring is autism – but that is enough to have scared all the others! And autism does not show up on genetic testing so I feel additional anxiety may just shed more heat than light. Your opinion? And thanks very much again.