Is fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency inherited ?
An increased risk of developing FXPOI is inherited in an X-linked dominant pattern. The FMR1 gene is located on the X chromosome, which is one of the two sex chromosomes. (The Y chromosome is the other sex chromosome.) The inheritance is dominant because one copy of the altered gene in each cell is sufficient to elevate the risk of developing FXPOI. In females (who have two X chromosomes), a mutation in one of the two copies of a gene in each cell can lead to the disorder. However, not all women who inherit an FMR1 premutation will develop FXPOI. Because males do not have ovaries, they are unaffected.