BRCA Testing Before Pregnancy: What to Know

Medically reviewed by the Materna Health Medical Team

BRCA testing before pregnancy is one of the most useful pieces of planning you can do if breast or ovarian cancer runs in your family. It is a simple saliva or blood test, and the answer gives you choices.

Here is what the test looks for, who it is a good fit for, and how knowing your result helps you plan the family you want.

What BRCA testing looks for

Everyone has two BRCA genes, called BRCA1 and BRCA2. Their job is to repair DNA and keep cells growing in a healthy way. BRCA testing checks whether you inherited a change in one of them that makes that repair work less well.

An inherited BRCA change raises the lifetime chance of breast and ovarian cancer. It is found in about 1 in 300 to 500 women in the general population, and in about 1 in 40 people with Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry, according to the US Preventive Services Task Force.

The change can come from your mother's side or your father's side. Each child of a parent who carries it has a 50 percent chance of inheriting it. The National Cancer Institute has a clear overview of what a result means.

Who is BRCA testing a good fit for?

Testing starts with your family history. National guidelines recommend a closer look when your family includes any of the following:

• Breast cancer before age 50 in a close relative
• Ovarian, fallopian tube, or primary peritoneal cancer at any age
• Breast cancer in a male relative
• Several relatives on the same side with breast, ovarian, pancreatic, or prostate cancer
• A relative with a known BRCA change
• Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry

If one or more of these sounds like your family, a full review is a good next step. Our cancer risk assessment page has a two minute self-check you can take right now.

Still learning your family history? Many women are. Share what you know, and a clinician can help you fill in the picture.

Why before pregnancy is a good time for BRCA testing

Any time is a fine time to learn your BRCA status. Before pregnancy has one extra advantage: every option is open, and you get to choose on your own timeline.

You can plan your family around your care. For women who carry a BRCA change, ACOG guidance times certain preventive steps for after childbearing is complete, typically between ages 35 and 40 for BRCA1 and 40 and 45 for BRCA2. Knowing early lets you map out when you would like to have children, with room to spare.

You can start tailored screening. The same guidance recommends breast screening that begins earlier, with yearly breast MRI from age 25 and mammography added at 30. A plan like this fits comfortably around trying to conceive when it is set up in advance.

You can explore embryo testing. Some families choose in vitro fertilization with embryo testing, called PGT-M, to select embryos without the family's BRCA change. Others conceive without it. Both are good paths, and the choice is yours.

You can align your fertility plan. If you are already working on follicular monitoring in NYC or thinking about pregnancy after 35, your BRCA result becomes one more useful input to your timeline.

Planning a pregnancy and curious about your family history? A preconception visit at Materna is a calm place to talk it through, with same-day and next-day appointments in the West Village. Book a preconception visit.

Already pregnant or postpartum?

BRCA testing works at every stage. The test uses saliva or blood, so it is safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Your screening plan is simply timed around where you are.

During pregnancy, your result helps your care team tailor your breast care. If you are in the first weeks, our pregnancy reassurance visits and early pregnancy ultrasound keep you supported while your plan comes together.

After birth, a plan tells you when to restart screening and what to ask for. It fits naturally into postpartum care beyond six weeks, and later into any conversation about hormone care.

How BRCA testing works, step by step

The process is gentle and mostly done from home.

1. Family history review. A clinician looks at your history on both sides of the family and confirms that testing fits.
2. Sample. You give a saliva or blood sample. Many programs ship a kit to your door.
3. Results. Results usually arrive in a few weeks, and a genetics expert walks you through them.
4. Your plan. You leave with a written screening and prevention plan made for you.

On cost, most health plans cover BRCA counseling, and testing when it is recommended, as preventive care for women who meet the family history criteria. A federal law called GINA also protects your genetic information in health insurance and employment. The National Human Genome Research Institute explains those protections.

What this means at Materna

At Materna Health, your family history is part of your preconception visit in NYC. We take the time to go through it with you, on both sides of your family, and talk about what it means for the pregnancy you are planning.

When a full assessment fits, we connect you with our partner Previvor Edge, a physician led cancer prevention program. They handle the hereditary cancer risk assessment and BRCA testing by telehealth, with a kit shipped to your home.

Then you bring your plan back to us. We build it into your fertility, pregnancy, and postpartum care, working alongside your OB/GYN as an extra set of hands. You can see us as often as you like, with same-day and next-day visits.

BRCA testing before pregnancy FAQs

Can I get pregnant if I have a BRCA mutation?

Yes. Women with a BRCA change conceive and carry healthy pregnancies every day. Knowing your status simply helps you and your care team plan your timeline and your screening.

Will my baby inherit my BRCA gene change?

Each child has a 50 percent chance of inheriting it. BRCA changes relate to adult health, so children are typically offered testing once they are adults and can choose for themselves.

Is BRCA testing safe during pregnancy?

Yes. The test uses a saliva or blood sample from you, so it is safe at any point in pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Does insurance cover BRCA testing?

Most health plans cover BRCA counseling and recommended testing as preventive care for women who meet the family history criteria. Your plan can confirm your exact coverage.

How long do BRCA test results take?

Most results arrive within a few weeks. You review them with a genetics expert, who explains what they mean for you and your family.

Knowing your BRCA status before pregnancy gives you information and time, and both work in your favor. Your family history is the place to start, and a short conversation can show you whether testing is a good next step.

We would love to help you plan. Book a preconception visit or call (917) 938-7745, and we will see you this week.

Related reading from Materna

• genetic testing for women: which tests and when
• genetic carrier screening: what it is and who needs it
• what your AMH number tells you
• pregnant after 35: why the odds are better than you think