auto-immune conditions

[mummycat2011]

my husband and i are thinking about starting a family. There are a lot of auto-immunity conditions in my family and i'm scared about what I could pass on to my children. I don't know what to do.

Maybe you could speak to your GP about referring you for some tests or genetic counselling to give you a clearer idea of your risks.

theres a lot in my family. i have type 1 diabetes, my brother has colitis, various relatives have bits and pieces. to be honest there's very little you can do about it and most conditions are manageable. we didn't hesitate for a moment to be honest, whatever will be will be. would prefer to pass on a bit of autoimmune than a low IQ and tendency to depend on state handouts!

Most people have got something "wrong" with them genetically. Even if it hasn't shown itself yet - you could pass on predisposition to heart disease or cancer unknowingly, both of which can be life limiting.

I have a strong family history of auto-immune conditions too and I think as long as you're not knowingly passing on something that could lead to a profound disability/terrible quality of life I wouldn't worry too much. Most conditions are manageable as kittyelise says.

One thing to bear in mind is that with auto-immune conditions there can be a greater likelihood of miscarriage. I don't mean to scare you but worth going into it with your eyes open. I've had one myself. However, I have one healthy child and one that seems to be cooking nicely (23 weeks).