Introducing BABYGlimpse- A Genetic Counselor’s Perspective

Hello! My name is Erin and I am a prenatal genetic counselor based in Denver, CO. I sit on HumanCode’s Advisory Board and have the pleasure of working with the team as they develop their products. To make sure that every person has a great experience with HumanCode products, I also offer consultations with customers to review and answer questions about their results.

In October of 2017, HumanCode launched it’s first product called BABYGlimpse. I’d like to share my perspective on BABYGlimpse and how it provides a fun way to explore your future children through genetics!

As a full-time genetic counselor, I’ve helped hundreds of families decide what types of genetic tests are right for them as they prepare for their new arrival. When I initially heard about BABYGlimpse by HumanCode, I loved that it was a fun way for couples to learn about genetics…and discover how their traits may come together in a baby!

BABYGlimpse delivers fun and informative insights around ancestry, eye color, hair color, adult height, sleep patterns, preference for sweet foods and more. Each person receives a saliva collection kit in the mail with easy instructions for how to collect and submit their sample. The sample is sent to a certified lab run by HumanCode’s partner, Helix.

At Helix, highly trained lab techs extract DNA from the saliva sample and transcribe the code, known as sequencing. Helix then sends the data that pertains to the BABYGlimpse traits back to HumanCode. The BABYGlimpse app uses a proprietary computational method to combine the couple’s DNA results and make predictions on the possible traits of their future child. The results are delivered to couples through the BABYGlimpse app for iPhone, or via a secure customer web portal.

My favorite part about BABYGlimpse is that, as you explore your results, you re-learn all the genetic concepts from school AND you can get excited about your future baby!

In a couples prenatal journey, they will likely encounter other genetic testing options that can uncover medically related genetic information, like carrier screening or non-invasive prenatal testing. Just to be clear, BABYGlimpse does not provide medical advice or information. It’s easy to be overwhelmed by all of the options available, and it’s common for my patients to be rusty on genetic concepts they learned in high school. With the background information gained from BABYGlimpse, I think couples will be better equipped to make informed decisions about other testing options that come their way.

There are so many ways we prepare to have a baby. We have doctor visits and ultrasound appointments, we read parenting books, stock up on diapers, and paint the nursery. And nowadays, parents also have access to cutting edge technology like genetic testing. With BABYGlimpse parents can start their journey of genetic discovery on the right foot.

To learn more about BABYGlimpse and other products by HumanCode, visit www.humancode.com.

If you have questions about genetics, are considering genetic testing, or want assistance interpreting any genetic test results, I would love to meet you. To schedule an appointment please visit http://www.babyglimpse.com/#howItWorks, scroll to the bottom and fill out your information. I will get in touch with you shortly!