Genetic counseling is the process of determining the risk you have of passing on an inheritable disease to your baby. Genetic counseling involves a specially trained healthcare professional who identifies families at risk, investigates the problem present in the family, interprets information about the disorder, analyzes inheritance patterns and risks of recurrence, and reviews available options with the family. Genetic counseling should be considered by couples who have one or more of the following risk factors abnormal results are obtained from routine prenatal testing, amniocentesis results identify a chromosomal defect, an inherited disease is present in a close family member, if either partner has already had a child with a birth defect or genetic disorder or if the mother is over 35 years old. Genetic disorders may be caused by of a variety of reasons. Genetic disorders may be caused by abnormalities in the chromosomes, which are referred to as chromosomal abnormalities. Disorders may also be caused by a single gene, which may be identified as dominant, recessive or X-linked disorders.