Should both partners do carrier screening?

Yes — but usually in sequence rather than simultaneously, and there is a reason for that. The common approach is to screen one partner first. If no carrier status is found, the chance of an affected child is low and the second partner may not need testing for those conditions. If the first partner is found to be a carrier, ACOG recommends the reproductive partner should then be offered screening, so the couple can be counselled accurately about their actual risk. Sequential testing is usually cheaper and avoids unnecessary testing. Simultaneous testing is faster, which matters if you are already pregnant and time is short. An important caveat with expanded panels. As the number of conditions screened rises, so does the chance of finding something — more than half of people tested on large panels are found to be carriers of at least one condition. That means partner testing, further counselling and anxiety become the common outcome rather than the exception, and it is worth knowing that before you start. If your partner is unavailable or declines testing, ACOG expects your counselling to include a revised risk calculation for the pregnancy based on your result alone. Two other things that should follow a positive result: identification of other family members who may be at risk — your siblings have a meaningful chance of carrying the same change — and a discussion of options for testing the pregnancy. Where there is a known condition in your family, identifying the specific familial mutation is often more useful than a general panel.