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Northern European Descent
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Genetics is the study of heredity, the process in which a parent passes certain genes onto their children. A person's appearance - height, hair color, skin color, and eye color - are determined by genes. Other characteristics affected by heredity: Likelihood of getting certain diseases; Mental abilities; Natural talents. An abnormal trait (anomaly) passed down through families (inherited) may: Have no effect on your health or well being - for example, it may just involve a white patch of hair or an extended earlobe; Be of minor consequence - for example, color blindness; Have a dramatic effect on your quality or length of life. For most genetic disorders, genetic counseling is advised. Many people may also want to seek prenatal diagnosis. The terms anomaly, abnormality, disorder, defect, disease, and syndrome are not used consistently, and do not have precise definitions.
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Although inheriting certain genes might boost your chances of contracting a disease, it's rarely a sure thing. Often, your lifestyle and environment can join with disease-prone genes to make a potential disease a reality.
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If you have relatives diagnosed with a major chronic condition, such as heart disease or cancer, it pays to learn if you're at increased risk, too.
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Experts say you should pay close attention to what is, by far, the most useful genetic knowledge—your family medical history.
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Endophenotypes are characteristics of a disorder or illness that are not observable. It is hoped that study of these characteristics may lead to better understanding of the genetic causes of mental illnesses.
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Both my husband and I are from the Mediterranean area and have been diagnosed with Mediterranean anemia (thalassemia minor). How will this affect our children? What do I need to know before getting pregnant?
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