SECTION 1 — PURPOSE OF THIS CONSENT
The Maternal Genomics Institute (“MGI”) provides non-medical, lifestyle-oriented genomic education to support mothers in understanding how their genes may influence general wellness tendencies during preconception, pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and breastfeeding.
This consent ensures you understand the nature, scope, limits, and privacy protections associated with MGI services.
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SECTION 2 — NATURE OF MGI SERVICES
MGI provides:
✔ Lifestyle Genomic Reports
Educational summaries about maternal genetic traits related to nutrient metabolism, detoxification, inflammation, hormone patterns, stress physiology, postpartum recovery, and other wellness-related pathways.
✔ Education
General discussions about biological pathways, maternal physiology, and evidence-based lifestyle considerations.
✔ Maternal Timeline Mapping
A visual timeline showing when certain pathways may be most relevant, based on general maternal physiology.
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SECTION 3 — WHAT MGI DOES NOT DO
MGI does not replace professional medical care.
MGI practitioners do not practice medicine.
MGI does NOT:
Diagnose any condition
Provide medical advice
Treat, prevent, or cure disease
Interpret medication-related genetics clinically
Provide mental health or obstetric care
Predict pregnancy, birth, anesthesia, or postpartum outcomes
Advise on induction, Pitocin, anesthesia, or clinical interventions
Prescribe or recommend pharmaceuticals
Offer emergency or crisis response
Serve as a substitute for OBs, midwives, anesthesiologists, nurses, pediatricians, or mental health professionals
All medical decisions must be discussed with licensed clinicians.
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SECTION 4 — NATURE OF GENOMIC INFORMATION
You understand that:
Genetic traits are probabilistic, not deterministic.
A variant does not mean you will experience a condition.
Environmental factors heavily influence gene expression.
Genomic insights are one piece of a larger wellness picture.
MGI reports are educational, not diagnostic.
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SECTION 5 — LIMITATIONS OF YOUR REPORT
Your MGI report is:
Not a medical record
Not a diagnostic tool
Not a prediction of outcomes
Not intended to guide clinical decision-making
Not a substitute for professional medical evaluation
MGI is not liable for decisions made using genomic information.
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SECTION 6 — SCOPE OF PRACTICE FOR MGI PRACTITIONERS
MGI practitioners may:
Educate
Provide general wellness context
Explain pathways
Offer supportive, trauma-informed guidance
They may not:
Diagnose
Recommend medical intervention
Provide dosing or medication guidance
Interpret pharmacogenomics clinically
Replace licensed healthcare providers
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SECTION 7 — RISKS + LIMITATIONS
You acknowledge that:
Genomic information may evoke emotional responses
Variants do not represent certainties
Reports may highlight sensitive topics
Misinterpretation is possible
Not all findings apply to every individual
Your medical team may or may not find genetic traits relevant
MGI is not responsible for:
Clinical decisions you make
Your provider’s response to your report
Medical outcomes at any stage of pregnancy, birth, postpartum, or breastfeeding
Lab errors or third-party testing issues
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SECTION 8 — FAMILY, PATERNITY & ADOPTION CONSIDERATIONS
Because genomic information can intersect with sensitive family dynamics:
1. No Paternity or Familial Testing
MGI does not conduct paternity, maternity, ancestry, or relationship testing
and will not comment on biological matching.
2. Unexpected Findings
Rarely, genomic results may suggest unexpected inheritance patterns.
MGI will not interpret these findings as evidence of familial discrepancy.
3. Adoption & Donor Conception
MGI will not identify biological relatives or comment on donor relationships.
4. No Sharing With Family Without Consent
MGI never shares your information with partners, parents, children, or relatives
without explicit written permission.
5. No Legal Involvement
MGI will not participate in:
Custody disputes
Parentage claims
Investigations
Court testimony
Legal documentation of biological relationships
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SECTION 9 — DATA PRIVACY & SECURITY
Although MGI is not a HIPAA-covered entity, we voluntarily uphold
HIPAA-like privacy and security standards to protect your data.
You acknowledge and agree to the following:
A. Who Has Access to Your Data
Only essential MGI team members
Your chosen MGI practitioner
No external parties without written permission
B. What Data MGI Receives
MGI receives only the specific variant-level information required to generate your report.
MGI does not automatically receive your entire genome.
C. How Your Data Is Used
Your data is used only to:
Generate your maternal genomic report
Support your consultation
Maintain internal quality assurance (non-identifying)
Your data is never used for:
AI training
Marketing
Research without consent
Third-party sale
Data sharing
D. Storage & Encryption
All files are encrypted in transit and at rest
Secure password-protected storage systems are used
Limited-access protocols are enforced
E. Right to Access & Correction
You may request:
Copies of your report
Corrections to your personal information
F. Right to Deletion
You may request deletion of all:
Raw data you provided
Reports
Notes
Analysis records
Requests are fulfilled within 7 business days.
G. Third-Party Labs
SelfDecode / 3X4 / PGx lab partners maintain their own privacy policies.
You must review those separately.
MGI is not responsible for third-party data handling.
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SECTION 10 — FEES, REFUNDS & CONDITIONS
Test kits are non-refundable once shipped
Analysis fees are non-refundable once processing begins
Practitioner interpretation fees are separate
Appointments must be canceled 24 hours in advance
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SECTION 11 — TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE COMMITMENT
MGI strives to provide:
Non-judgmental, compassionate care
Respect for autonomy
Clear, calm, non-directive education
Space for processing emotions
Collaborative rather than authoritative communication
You may pause or discontinue services at any time.
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SECTION 12 — CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE
By checking the box with your MGI practitioner or at the checkout on our website, you affirm:
You understand the purpose and limits of MGI services
You understand your data privacy rights
You acknowledge that MGI services are educational
You understand MGI practitioners are not medical providers
You agree to share your results with licensed clinicians as needed
You voluntarily consent to participate in MGI services