Update Your ProfileAcademic Title:
Assistant Professor
Primary Appointment:
Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences
Administrative Title:
Director of Perinatal Genetics
Additional Title:
Senior Genetic Counselor/Instructor
Email:
Location:
Center for Advanced Fetal Care
Phone (Primary):
410-328-3338
Fax:
410-328-2599
Education and Training
B.S. Biology, University of Richmond
Master's in Genetic Counseling, University of Maryland School of Medicine
Biosketch
Amanda Higgs, MGC, CGC is the senior genetic counselor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences and an Instructor in the School of Medicine. Ms. Higgs received her Master’s in Genetic Counseling from the University of Maryland in 2000 and joined the Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine at the University of Maryland in 2002. She offers comprehensive prenatal genetic counseling in the Center for Advanced Fetal Care, discussing appropriate screening and diagnostic options with both pregnant and preconceptional patients who have various concerns including family history issues, abnormal ultrasound findings, anomalous screening results, advanced maternal age and medication use during pregnancy. She participates in the education and clinical supervision of the Master’s in Genetic Counseling students as well as residents, fellows and medical students. Ms. Higgs works very closely with the University of Maryland Fetal Heart Program. Her special interests include biomedical ethics, medication use in pregnancy and congenital heart disease.
Research/Clinical Keywords
Prenatal genetic counseling for advanced maternal age, teratogen exposure, abnormal screening results, fetal ultrasound abnormalities, family history concerns, termination of pregnancy for fetal indication, teleconsultation
Highlighted Publications
Akkurt, MO, Higgs, A, Turan, OT, Turan, OM, Turan, S. Prenatal diagnosis of inverted duplication deletion 8p syndrome mimicking trisomy 18. Am J Med Genet Part A 2017 173A:776-779.
Additional Publication Citations
Abstracts and/or Proceedings
Scaffe, A, Pollin, T, Xu, J, Kittner, S. An evaluation of different recruitment strategies used in a family study. Journal of Genetic Counseling 2000; 9(6): 530. Poster presentation at the Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Savannah, Georgia, 2000.
Piurek, A, Higgs, A, Ning, Y, Thomas, G. Current resources, methods and strategies for the identification of clinically important cytogenetic abnormalities: a survey and independent analysis. Journal of Genetic Counseling 2007; 16(6): 676. Platform presentation at the Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Kansas City, Missouri, 2007.
Dinsmore, C, Udoff, L, Higgs, A, Ashley, S. The use of invasive prenatal diagnostic tests in patients with infertility. Journal of Genetic Counseling 2008; 17(6): 583. Platform presentation at the Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Los Angeles, California, 2008.
Martin, J, Higgs, A, Denne, E, Baschat, A. Determination of risk assessment protocols for midtrimester amniocentesis in prenatal care centers. Journal of Genetic Counseling 2008; 17(6): 638. Poster presentation at the Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Los Angeles, California, 2008.
Kantor, V, Joines, J, Higgs, A, Skinner, M. Patient education and subsequent satisfaction with genetic counseling. Poster presentation at the Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, San Diego, California, 2011.
Kaplan J,Skinner M, Higgs A, Harman C, Greene C. Uncontrolled Maternal PKU as a Cause of Holoprosencephaly. DW Smith Workshop, Lake Lanier, Buford, GA, 2012.
Low, A., Hippman, C., Dixon, S., Higgs, A., & Joines, J. Training to provide psychiatric genetic counseling: How does it impact recent graduates’ and current students’ attitudes towards individuals with psychiatric illness and their readiness to provide genetic counseling for this population?Journal of Genetic Counseling 2015; 24(6): 1139. Poster presentation at the Annual Education Conference of the National Society of Genetic Counselors, Pittsburgh, PA, October 2015.