My first child has a genetic disease. What are the chances that a future child could inherit the same disease?
The odds that future children will inherit the same disease as your first child will depend on what the disease is, how it is inherited, and the genetic background and physical features of the parents. There is no simple answer that fits all genetic diseases. For dominant or recessive diseases, the risk is more straightforward. For more complex genetic disorders such as heart defects at birth and cleft palate, a genetics doctor may need to examine both parents and the affected child in order to predict whether other children might be affected by the same condition.
