What Is a Genetic Condition?
A genetic condition is a health problem caused by a difference in a person’s genes.
Genes are the instructions that tell our body how to grow and function. Everyone has about 20,000 genes that come in pairs. We get one copy of each gene from each parent. That’s why genetic conditions run in families.
We all have differences in our genes—that’s what makes us unique. But some genetic differences can cause a problem with a person’s health.
Genetic conditions happen in different ways. For some genetic conditions, a person needs to have a difference in both copies of the gene in a pair. For other conditions, it takes only one copy with a difference to cause the person to have the condition.
What’s a Carrier?
A person who has or “carries” a genetic difference in one copy of a gene but doesn’t have the disease is called a “carrier.”
Many people who are carriers don’t know it because they are generally healthy. And most carriers don’t have symptoms. But for some conditions, carriers can have mild symptoms. People who know they are carriers can be on the lookout for symptoms and tell their doctor.
Why Should Someone Know if They’re a Carrier?
It’s good for a person to know if they are a carrier for a genetic condition because there’s a chance they could pass on the genetic difference to a child. If their partner also is a carrier of the condition and they both pass the gene to their child, the child would have the condition.
There are ways for carriers to lower their chances of passing on a gene for a genetic condition.
How Can a Genetic Counselor Help Me if I’m a Carrier?
Genetic counselors are experts on how conditions can run in families. A genetic counselor can explain to you:
- how parents can pass genetic conditions to their children
- the chances that you’ll have a child with the condition you carry
- your options for having kids if you decide to have a family
The best time to talk with a genetic counselor is well before you’re ready to have kids. That way, you're better prepared when the time comes. A genetic counselor provides support while people decide what is right for them. The counselor doesn’t tell anyone what to do.
Your doctor can connect you with a genetic counselor.
What Should a Carrier Know Before Starting a Family?
It’s a good idea for a carrier to know if their partner is also a carrier.
What Options Do Carriers Have for Starting a Family?
Couples who both are carriers of a condition might want to lower the chances of their child having a condition. It helps to know about the different ways to start a family.
A couple can:
- Get pregnant by having sex. Then, they can decide whether they want to test the fetus before it’s born. People who choose to test will learn if the fetus has the genetic condition they are concerned about. They can talk to their doctors about what they can expect and about their options.
- Use in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sperm and eggs are collected from the couple. Medical experts combine them in a medical lab. The couple can choose to test the embryos for the health condition before any are placed into the woman’s uterus.
- Use IVF with donated eggs or sperm. This method lets a couple use eggs or sperm from a donor who is not a carrier for the health condition.
- Adopt a child. Adoption is an option if you want to avoid the possibility of conceiving a child with a condition that you’re a carrier of. But there’s no guarantee that the birth parents don’t carry the condition or another problem.
Some people decide not to have kids. And that’s OK too. When you know your options, you can make a decision that’s best for you.
FAQs
A person who has or “carries” a genetic difference in one copy of a gene but doesn't have the disease is called a “carrier.” Many people who are carriers don't know it because they are generally healthy. And most carriers don't have symptoms. But for some conditions, carriers can have mild symptoms.
What is considered as carrier of hereditary? ›
Chromosomes are called 'carriers' of heredity because they contain genes that determine all the characteristics of an organism. Genes are made up of DNA which is the genetic material responsible for carrying information from one generation to the next.
How do you become a carrier of a gene? ›
Humans have two copies of every gene, one inherited from each biological parent. A carrier is a person who has one working copy of a gene and one non-working copy of a gene. This autosomal recessive pattern means that as long as a person has one working copy of a gene, they are generally healthy.
What gender is more likely to be a carrier of a genetic disorder? ›
Families with an X-linked recessive disorder often have affected males, but rarely affected females, in each generation. For X-linked dominant diseases, however, a mutation in one copy of an X-linked gene will result in disease for both males and females.
Are most people carriers of genetic disorders? ›
All people are likely to be carriers of several autosomal recessive genetic conditions, but it is not always clear as to which conditions are most likely to be carried by your family.
What does it mean to be a carrier for a genetic disorder? ›
What's a Carrier? A person who has or “carries” a genetic difference in one copy of a gene but doesn't have the disease is called a “carrier.” Many people who are carriers don't know it because they are generally healthy. And most carriers don't have symptoms. But for some conditions, carriers can have mild symptoms.
What are examples of carrier diseases? ›
Asymptomatic carriers play a critical role in the transmission of common infectious diseases such as typhoid, HIV, C. difficile, influenzas, cholera, tuberculosis, and COVID-19, although the latter is often associated with "robust T-cell immunity" in more than a quarter of patients studied.
What diseases are tested for genetic carrier screening? ›
What carrier screening is recommended? We recommend that all women consider having carrier screening for cystic fibrosis, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), sickle cell disease and other hemoglobin disorders. A number of genetic disorders occur more frequently in certain ethnic populations.
What is the chance that the child would be a carrier? ›
If both parents carry a mutation, there is: A 25% chance in each pregnancy that their child will inherit the mutation from each parent (two genes) and have the condition. A 50% chance in each pregnancy that their child will receive one mutated gene and be a carrier.
How can a boy get DMD if his mother is not a carrier? ›
However, approximately 30% (1 out of 3) of children born with duch*enne have a genetic change that started new in them and was not inherited from their mother. This is called a “spontaneous mutation” or a “de novo” mutation. The mother of a child with a spontaneous mutation is not a carrier.
Disorders with mitochondrial inheritance result from variants in mitochondrial DNA. Although these disorders can affect both males and females, only females can pass variants in mitochondrial DNA to their children.
What do daughters inherit from their mothers? ›
Physical features such as hair color, hair texture, hairline, skin, and varicose veins are inherited from your mother.
Who has stronger genes, mother or father? ›
Both parents genetic contribution to their offspring is very close to equal. The exception being the mitochondrial DNA (tDNA) which is almost entirely from the mother.
What race has the most genetic disorders? ›
Some diseases are more prevalent in some populations identified as races due to their common ancestry. Thus, people of African and Mediterranean descent are found to be more susceptible to sickle-cell disease while cystic fibrosis and hemochromatosis are more common among European populations.
Does insurance cover genetic carrier screening? ›
Most health insurance plans will cover the cost of genetic testing when recommended by a physician. However, all coverage and reimbursem*nt is subject to Medicare, Medicaid, and third-party payer benefit plans.
How long does genetic carrier testing take? ›
Results of genetic carrier screening typically take two to three weeks from the time your sample is received by the laboratory.
What is considered a hereditary condition? ›
A disorder caused by mutations (changes) in certain genes or chromosomes that are passed down from parent to child. Hereditary syndromes may be inherited from one or both parents, and several close family members (such as a mother, daughter, and sister) may have the same disorder.
What is your genotype if you are considered a carrier? ›
In summary, a genotype that is considered a 'carrier' of a trait is typically heterozygous, meaning it has one dominant allele and one recessive allele for a particular gene. They do not express the trait themselves but can pass on the trait to their offspring.
What carries hereditary traits? ›
Each Organism's Traits Are Inherited from a Parent through Transmission of DNA.
Can you be a carrier of a dominant gene? ›
Dominant genetic diseases are those that can only be caused by a mutation in one of the two copies of the affected genes. A person who has a mutation for a dominant condition typically exhibits the disorder; as a result, they are typically referred to as having the disorder rather than just being a carrier of it.
