For people seeking advice and patients
The medical-genetic consultation serves to recognise and understand genetic causes of diseases as well as hereditary disease risks, to make a diagnosis and to draw the individually correct consequences for therapy and management. In addition to a comprehensive personal and family history and a review of previous findings, it may also include a physical examination. All relevant aspects are discussed in detail and the further procedure, e.g. regarding special genetic analyses, is planned. All contents of the consultation are summarised in a generally comprehensible counselling letter to the person seeking advice and usually in a separate doctor’s letter.
You can find an information sheet on the genetic outpatient clinic here.
A referral and telephone registration are necessary for the presentation in the medical-genetic outpatient clinic.
Registration and directions to the medical-genetic outpatient clinic:
Information on registration for our medical-genetic outpatient clinic as well as directions and maps can be found here.
Our team:
Doctors and physicians
Natural scientists
Laboratory staff
Administration and secretariats
Frequently asked questions:
When should a presentation at the medical-genetic outpatient clinic be considered?
What does the medical-genetic consultation involve?
What is the benefit of a presentation at the medical-genetic outpatient clinic?
What should be considered when planning the outpatient appointment?
Who bears the costs for the presentation at the genetic outpatient clinic?
When should a presentation at the medical-genetic outpatient clinic be considered?
- if a person (adult or child) has or is suspected of having a malformation, disability or other questionably genetic condition;
- if a person has a distressing or limiting physical abnormality which is questionably genetic in origin, even if there is no compelling need for therapy;
- if a person’s relatives have a malformation, disability or other questionably genetic condition and they want to know what this could mean for them or their children;
- If there is a cluster of cancers in a family
- if certain neurological, cardiological or other questionably genetic diseases have occurred frequently in a family and a hereditary disposition is being considered;
- if people want to find out about possible genetic risks (e.g. depending on age, previous illnesses or special features in the family) and/or prenatal genetic diagnostics before or during pregnancy;
- if a prenatal genetic diagnosis is to be carried out;
- if external factors (infections, radiation, drugs, chemicals) have (could have) affected the mother or the child before or during pregnancy;
- if there is a relationship between (spousal) partners;
- if a couple has an unfulfilled desire to have children or if repeated miscarriages have occurred;
- if a couple wishes to have an artificial insemination procedure due to an unfulfilled desire to have children.
What does the medical-genetic consultation involve?
- Comprehensive collection of the relevant personal and family history up to the grandparental generation (family tree over at least three generations);
- Review of existing doctor’s letters and reports of findings;
- If necessary, a physical examination;
- Comprehensive explanation of all findings from a genetic point of view;
- Discussion and agreement of further diagnostic measures including the legally required consent form;
- If necessary or useful, a blood sample for further genetic analysis;
- Discussion of the findings of genetic examinations and
- If a genetic disease is detected: detailed explanations of the genetic causes and heredity as well as the significance of the findings for relatives;
- Discussion and, if necessary, organisation of further diagnostic and/or therapeutic measures;
What is the benefit of a presentation at the medical-genetic outpatient clinic?
- Diagnosis of unexplained, questionable genetic diseases;
- Complete information about genetic diseases or risks, taking into account the patient’s own and family history;
- Organisation or implementation of further genetic diagnostics and, if necessary, other examinations.
- Arranging contacts to other doctors, self-help groups or similar (if desired);
- If you wish to have a child or are already pregnant, complete, individual information about the possibilities, limits and risks of prenatal diagnostics;
What should be considered when planning the outpatient appointment?
- Already for the preparation, the most comprehensive possible medical documents and findings of the person concerned or the relatives are important;
- To view and discuss the findings of relatives, either the original findings or a corresponding written declaration of consent from the relatives is required;
- In the case of affected children, in addition to any doctor’s letters, the mother-child passport and X-rays (if they could be important for clarifying the issue) should also be brought along;
- An appointment at the genetic outpatient clinic takes an average of one hour; for initial appointments of unexplained clinical pictures, 1.5 hours should be allowed for.
Who bears the costs for the presentation at the genetic outpatient clinic?
- The costs of genetic counselling and the medically necessary genetic laboratory analyses are usually covered by health insurance funds and insurance companies.
- For patients with health insurance, a referral slip issued for the genetic outpatient clinic must be presented.
You can find more detailed information on medical genetics as a medical subject here.