Understanding Family Medical History for Better Health

When we visit our doctor for a check-up, the most important part of that conversation should be around our family’s medical history.

This often provides clues as to what we and they should be looking out for.

We should certainly be aware of the medical history of both our parents and our grandparents. It’s highly likely that their serious ailments are genetically based and may well have been passed on to us.

Ideally, we should know the ailments that afflicted them and how serious their condition was; we should know when those ailments occurred, and we should have a good understanding of the lifestyles and activities of these previous generations to help determine what might have contributed to the triggering of those ailments.

Having this awareness means we can be on the lookout for specific medical conditions and hopefully catch them early. We might even be able to pre-empt their occurrence.

If, for instance, our father has had both hips replaced, it suggests that he had weak hips in relation to the activities he pursued. Given his weakness, there’s a high probability that our hips will be similarly fragile. So, if we pursue activities like his, the chances are we, too, will at some point require hip replacements.

Similarly, cancer is a highly hereditary condition. If it “runs in the family”, then knowing of its presence means that we can have regular testing in order to try to identify it at the early stages.

A better understanding of our genetic proclivities, combined with more precise and rigorous testing, should enable us to improve our health, fitness, and mortality. We should be better able to improve our genetic stock.

Certainly, with medical progress, there will be more genetic screening:

• To determine whether an individual is a carrier of a particular gene.
• To ascertain when a gene is about to be triggered, when it is about to become consequential.
• To assess the potency of particular genes in order to gauge the level of impact they will have on the individual.

We are at the early stages of this medical revolution. We already screen embryos for genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease and Huntington’s disease. We also guide parents with risk figures on the likelihood that their baby will have a particular genetic condition – there’s a 1 in 5,000 chance…

Embryos that carry genetic abnormalities or are considered high risk can – if deemed defective, unsustainable or merely undesirable – be aborted.

Improved screening will enable us to better remove, disable, destroy, or overpower unwanted genes. Genetic management – as the basis for preventive medicine – will be the way forward for healthcare. In the future, it’s highly likely that, along with our birth certificate, we will each be given, at birth, a report on our genetic strengths and weaknesses to guide us through life.

As our genetic predispositions become more ascertainable and genetic testing becomes more routine, questions will need to be considered.

For instance, if we are aware of a genetic condition that we have, what is our responsibility to the future of our species in deciding on our reproductive behaviour? If we carry a genetic fault or frailty, should we allow it to be passed on? Are we duty-bound to declare any genetic flaws that we might have? And who do we need to tell? – Employers? Insurance companies? Sexual partners?

In becoming knowledgeable about our genetic makeup, there is also a logical argument that we should similarly be aware of our prospective reproductive partner’s family medical history. What genetic disorders are they prone to? Are they carrying genetic abnormalities which they might pass on to our offspring? Are they a good genetic match, or will, when combined, they trigger undesirable, debilitating genes?

We should know what we are getting into; we should know the genetic risks that we are taking.

It’s an important, often-overlooked element of genetic matchmaking. Reproductive relationships are about buying into a family, not just into an individual. Genetic traits may not always reveal themselves. There will be a mass of genes that will not be apparent to us. Sometimes they will “skip a generation”. That’s why it’s important to look beyond the individual.

Admittedly, scrutinising our prospective partner’s family doesn’t sound very romantic. It’s not how relationships have traditionally developed. But in terms of end results, assessing their medical history would be genetically good for us as a species. It would help to improve our genetic viability.

Of course, when choosing a reproductive partner, there are myriad considerations. Their family’s medical condition is just one of them. Ultimately, we have to decide how much we prioritise medical health. Although an individual may carry a genetic abnormality that makes them prone to an unfavourable medical condition, they may also have other compensatory qualities that outweigh this weakness or fault – an enchanting personality, an appealing physicality, a remarkable intelligence.

The beauty of genetic testing is that everything is revealed. There can be no hiding. It gives us the information we need to make better decisions.

That’s why genetic testing will become more widespread, more comprehensive, more detailed, more conclusive and more accepted.

Unfortunately, though, we are not quite there yet.

That’s why we have to resort to a more anecdotal, unscientific analysis. That’s why, for our genetic well-being, a good understanding of our family’s medical history would be beneficial. It provides the best available indication of what our future holds.

And advantageously, given our extended mortality rates, we are often able to have contact with both our parents and grandparents and those of our prospective partners. This means we can gain clear insight into the genetic baggage they carry.

We are then better placed to make the right decisions, the ones that are genetically good for us.

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