[Genetic counselling. I. Definition and present status (author's transl)].

Genetic counselling is a medical action which must be carried out by a M.D. specialized in genetics. Genetic counselling is peculiar in that couples rather than individuals are involved. Furthermore it is not concerned with the health of the consultants but with that of their expected children. Genetic counselling is not restricted to the statistical estimation of a risk; it raises important problems of psychology and behaviour. Finally, eugenic considerations about the diffusion of deleterious genes should not be taken into account in genetic counselling, which is given in the interest of individuals, not of the society. The increasing demand for genetic counselling is due to the change of the reproductive pattern. People do not want only to fix the size of their family, but also to avoid any accident of procreation.