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6 Months Pregnant, Hereditary Blindness. Risk To Baby?
Question: Hi, We are expecting a kid now. I am concerned if my kid catches up with a heriditary blindness from my dad side. 1 of my uncle and 2 of my aunt's are blind( they lost vision after 15 years or so). My Grand father married his sisters daughter itself, so doctors told this is the defect of getting married in relations. Is there a risk of my kid catching up with this desease and is there a remedy. My wife is in 6th month now.
Hi XXXXXXX
The most common hereditary blindness is Retinitis Pigmentosa. Seeing your family history and its occurrence it seems that it is Retinitis Pigmentosa. It has a varied pattern of inheritance in families. In some it autosomal dominant( common inheritance pattern )and in some it is autosomal recessive.
Your father's siblings had loss of vision but I am supposing you don't have it. From this the autosomal dominant pattern can be ruled out. But still we cant be sure 100% that your son will not get it. The only way to know of it is by genetic testing. For all practical purposes as far as this disease is concerned it is still in rudimentary stage. Without genetic studies, we cant say for sure whether your son will inherit it or not.
There is no remedy for the disease but proper systemic examination of the baby after birth and regular clinical check up with the ophthalmologist will benefit the child, if at all he inherits the disease.
Hope I had answered your queries. I will be available to answer if you have any further questions.
Regards
The most common hereditary blindness is Retinitis Pigmentosa. Seeing your family history and its occurrence it seems that it is Retinitis Pigmentosa. It has a varied pattern of inheritance in families. In some it autosomal dominant( common inheritance pattern )and in some it is autosomal recessive.
Your father's siblings had loss of vision but I am supposing you don't have it. From this the autosomal dominant pattern can be ruled out. But still we cant be sure 100% that your son will not get it. The only way to know of it is by genetic testing. For all practical purposes as far as this disease is concerned it is still in rudimentary stage. Without genetic studies, we cant say for sure whether your son will inherit it or not.
There is no remedy for the disease but proper systemic examination of the baby after birth and regular clinical check up with the ophthalmologist will benefit the child, if at all he inherits the disease.
Hope I had answered your queries. I will be available to answer if you have any further questions.
Regards
Note: For detailed guidance on genetic screening consult a genetics specialist
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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