How Did I Get the Prothrombin 20210 Mutation?
You inherit 2 copies of all of your genes from your parents; one from your mother and one from your father. Therefore, we all have 2 prothrombin genes. It is possible to have a mutation in only 1 of your prothrombin genes. If this is the case, it is said that you are heterozygous for the gene mutation; you inherited the mutation from either your mother or your father. It is rare to have a mutation in both copies of the prothrombin gene, ie, have inherited the mutation from both your mother and your father, but if you do, you are said to be homozygous. How Is the Diagnosis Made? The diagnosis of a prothrombin mutation is made by a blood test. The blood is sent to a laboratory for analysis of the DNA (genetic code), and this will reveal if you are homozygous or heterozygous. Even though the prothrombin mutation slightly increases factor II (prothrombin) levels, it is not helpful to determine blood levels of factor II when trying to determine whether a person has the mutation or not. What
