Awareness and Testing
Many Americans Who Are Unsure of Their Ancestry
Could be at Risk for Genetic Disorders
Everyone knows America is a great melting pot for the world. However what most people don’t know is that their ancestor’s ethnicity could make them high risk for 19 disorders known as Jewish genetic diseases that could threaten the health and life of their children, even if they don’t think they have Jewish ancestors.
That’s because genetic disease carriers are themselves healthy and have no prior family history of the disease. That meant that until recently, many prospective parents had no way of knowing whether they were carriers of a variety of genetic disease – such as cystic fibrosis or Tay-Sachs Disease. But when two carriers had a child it was too late and the child became sick, often fatally so.
People of certain descent are particularly at potential danger – including people of European Jewish or Irish descent, French Canadians, Pennsylvania Amish, and Louisiana Cajuns. In fact, the risk of being a carrier to some groups such as Central and Eastern European Jewish descent is one in five.
Today with advances in genetics, scientists have identified the gene mutations that cause these inherited diseases, allowing people to get screened before each pregnancy and know whether their children will be at risk.
However, many people remain uninformed of the range of genetic diseases, and should be screened before pregnancy, especially if they’re like most Americans and just know their ancestors were all blended in the great melting pot.
Lois B. Victor is the founder of the Victor Centers for Jewish Genetic Diseases in partnership with the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network, which opened in 2002. Ms Victor lost two children to a Jewish genetic disease and is passionate in her mission to ensure no family endures the heartache of preventable illness. The Victor Centers raise awareness and offer clinical expertise in genetic screening and counseling.
Adele Scheider, MD FACMG has practiced Clinical Genetics at Albert Einstein Medical Center (AEMC) in Philadelphia since 1992 where she is currently the Director of the dept. She received the Einstein Physician Leadership Award in 1995 and is the Director of the Victor Center for Jewish Genetic Disease Screening at AEMC.
www.victorscenter.org
