Compass is still being developed and is effectively in beta. Some content and features may be incomplete, change, or not work as expected.

Content is anchored to trusted sources where available, but Compass has not yet been clinically reviewed. It provides general information rather than medical advice.

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Genetics and inheritance

Variant of uncertain significance

A genetic difference that has been found but is not known to cause anything.

What it means

Everybody carries many harmless genetic differences. Sometimes testing finds one that has not been seen often enough to know whether it matters. It is not a positive result and not a negative one, and its meaning can change years later as more is learned.

Why you might hear it

  • It sits between a result that clearly matters and one that clearly does not.
  • It is the kind of result counselling exists for.

People who may help

Where Compass goes into this

About this explanation

These are plain explanations of words you may come across, not advice about your own situation. Where a word matters to a decision, the question pages go into it properly, and your own team is the place to take it.