Could my husbands family history of schizophrenia and depression put our children at higher risk?
My husbands mother has schizophrenia and his grandmother is manic depressive, there is no family history of mental illness on my side of the family, if we decide to start a family will our children be predisposed to either of those diseases. He is 27 and has niether. His mother resides in a psychiatric facillity but controls her disease with medication. I am concerned about our children possibly being at a higher risk for developing these diseases.
Hello Moose&Bella,
This link gives an idea about heredity.
There is a genetic risk to these illnesses.
I chose not to have children because I didn't want my kids to develop SZ, the illness I was diagnosed with in 1987.
Also know that a person can recover from SZ and bipolar.
The issue of whether or not to have children you will need to explore with your husband, who may decide at some point that he wants children even though mental illness runs in his family.
So if you do not want to have kids, you have to be honest with him. This is a decision you will have to make together.
Regards,
Christina
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