Importance of genetic counseling in medical practice: A narrative review

As per World Health Organization (WHO) rapid advancements in genomic tools have identified etiology and risk factors of multisystemic 10,000 monogenic complex disorders affecting 10/1000, or 70–80 million individuals worldwide. Genetic counseling, a crucial part of genetic evaluation and personalized medicine, aims to inform families about genetic and genomic issues (including cancer), their effects on current and future generations’ health, and how to make educated decisions. With reference to various national and international genetic journals, this narrative review explores the role of genetic counseling, the steps followed, ethical considerations, challenges, and the impact of genetic testing on healthcare.