Is Hemochromatosis inherited ?
Is hemochromatosis inherited? Hereditary hemochromatosis is inherited in an autosomal recessive or autosomal dominant manner, depending on the type a person has. Types 1, 2, and 3 are inherited in an autosomal recessive manner. This means that to be affected, a person must have a mutation in both copies of the responsible gene in each cell. Affected people inherit one mutated copy of the gene from each parent, who is referred to as a carrier. Carriers of an autosomal recessive condition typically do not have any signs or symptoms (they are unaffected). When 2 carriers of an autosomal recessive condition have children, each child has a 25% (1 in 4) chance to be affected, a 50% (1 in 2) chance to be an unaffected carrier like each parent, and a 25% chance to be unaffected and not be a carrier. Type 4 is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. This means having only one mutated copy of the responsible gene in each cell is enough to cause the condition. When a person with an autosomal dominant condition has children, each child has a 50% chance to inherit the mutated copy of the gene. In most cases, a person with type 4 hemochromatosis has one affected parent. Acquired hemochromatosis is not inherited. Neonatal hemochromatosis is also not inherited, but it does appear to be familial. A woman with an affected child has approximately an 80% chance to have another affected child. However, this likelihood of recurrence is not explained by normal inheritance patterns. The underlying cause of this type is not fully understood.