If you're a woman and more importantly a mom, you must have thought about what you'll pass down to your children.
Most of the time we think, "will our children be short, tall, have brown eyes, blue eyes, brown hair, blonde hair, etc". When we should be thinking about the bigger picture.
I recall when I was pregnant with my second daughter, at the young age of 23, and I had every known prenatal test available at that time. The triple test, in particular caught my attention because it was already a fact that my genes were linked to cerebral palsy so I thought this test couldn't hurt anything. Needless to say back in 1992 these tests weren't very fast at all in getting the results and I stressed so bad. It took 3 weeks to get the results.
By the end of the third week my OB called and notified me the test came back showing a high risk pregnancy for Downs Syndrome. I couldn't believe the results considering my age.
My OB said she wanted to go through with an amniocentesis. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003921.htmThat was the best way to find out if the baby I was carrying would in fact have Downs Syndrome. http://www.ndss.org/
I figured if I had to undergo an amniocentesis, the possibility of miscarrying a baby, I wanted to find out the sex of our baby as well.
In the meantime of waiting the 5 weeks of the amniocentesis results, we had to go through genetic counseling; just the process as the results would have genetic information as well.
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/pediatricgenetics/genetic_counseling.html
At the end of the 5 weeks we were notified that the baby was fine, and I was carrying a girl!
As far as genetic counseling went, we only chose to look at the major genetic issues; Downs Syndrome, Cystic Fibrosis, and Cerebral Palsy. We didn't look at the big scope of things.
20 years later I see how important that genetic counseling could/should have been to me and my children's future as I sit here with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, Neuropathy, Ankylosing Spondylitis, Severe Migraines, TMJ, Colitis, Fibromyalgia, and TIA's (non-autoimmune). I think could I have or did I pass this/these down through gene or
hereditary factors?
Just recently I have found out some interesting factoids (as I like to call it). Psoriasis, Lupus, and Rheumatoid Arthritis share one gene. And, why wouldn't this make sense? All 3 have inflammation in common. If psoriasis gets so bad it can affect the joints; just like Lupus; RA already does this. All 3 are affected by the immune system. All 3 aren't not contagious. Psoriasis flares with stress just like lupus and RA. The tendency toward developing psoriasis is inherited in genes. Psoriasis is currently not curable, just like Lupus and RA.There are promising therapies, including biologic drugs just like Lupus and RA..
It's easy to see how it's possible that people with lupus share some type of common genetic link. An identical twin of a person with lupus has a threefold to tenfold greater risk of getting lupus than a nonidentical twin. Moreover, first-degree relatives (mother, father, brother, sister) of people with lupus have an eightfold to ninefold increased risk of having lupus compared with the general public.
What about other factors that may cause lupus; other links to lupus? Outside of random occurrences of lupus, certain drugs, toxins, and diets have been linked in its development. Sun exposure (ultraviolet light) is a known environmental agent that can worsen rashes of patients with lupus and sometimes trigger a flare of the entire disease.
Women who have lupus that become pregnant have to consider they may or may not pass down a rare antibody that causes autism. Autism has many different facets to it just like lupus. We're not all the same.
http://sfari.org/news-and-opinion/news/2011/studies-of-early-development-reveal-immune-link-to-autism
Female conditions may also be linked to later onset of lupus. It's believed that miscarriages are linked to lupus as well. http://www.lupus.org/webmodules/webarticlesnet/templates/new_learnaffects.aspx?articleid=2302&zoneid=526
Endometriosis is another condition that may also be linked to immune diseases. It seems to be that women who have immune disorders go on to later contract lupus.
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/womenshealth/endometriosis.html
Central nervous system conditions such as depression and dementia are also linked to lupus as well as migraines. The more common CNS conditions seizures (many types) and strokes. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/bone_joint_and_muscle_disorders/autoimmune_disorders_of_connective_tissue/systemic_lupus_erythematosus_sle.html
Who wouldn't be depressed when they have a chronic in-curable disease?
The more research I do on what is linked to lupus, the more I feel like I'm in quick sand.
http://www.medicinenet.com/systemic_lupus/related-conditions/index.htm
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