genetic testing

1. A process in which a person's or an embryo 's DNA is isolated and tested for the presence of specific genes or defects that could indicate the future onset of some disease.

Notes

In the United States, genetic testing is most often performed on alert prospective parents for possible problems during a pregnancy or the likelihood of congenital disease in a future child. The privacy of the results is one of the many difficult issues with this practice, particularly as it relates to insurance underwriting.