Traits and Genetic Disorders That Babies Get From Mom
Diabetes
Research shows that type 1 and 2 diabetes are caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Studies with identical twins who both inherit the genetic predisposition show that when one twin has type 1 diabetes, “the other gets the disease at most only half the time,” even though their genes are identical. If you have a genetic predisposition for diabetes (e.g., someone in your family history was diagnosed with diabetes), certain environmental factors—climate, viruses, being breastfed, nutrition and exercise habits—can trigger the disease. Genetic screening for predicting the risk of type 1 diabetes is a convenient procedure, but genetic testing for the risk of type 2 diabetes isn't accurate or effective.
