Genetics and Pregnancy

Do you ever wonder if your child's cognitive ability was inherited or if it's based on environmental factors? In fact, human intelligence is a fairly equal mix of genetics and environmental influences. Genetic differences in cognition are more li...

Will your baby’s blue eyes stay that way? It’s possible, but not guaranteed. Babies born with blue or grey-colored eyes may end up with a different eye color later on. This is because of the pigmentation process, which continues to develop af...

*/ Genes come in pairs, and each gene in a pair may differ slightly. One gene may be dominant, and override the other gene, which is recessive. A recessive gene only has an effect if both genes in a pair are recessive. An example is eye color. A...

Healthy moms, healthy babies. It’s commonly accepted that the quality of a woman’s pregnancy determines the well-being of her infant. Less well known is the fact that a baby’s experiences in the womb will influence its health for life. Mor...

The creation of a human body goes far beyond simple building blocks. For around nine months, the womb meticulously assembles microscopic fragments of DNA from both parents to create a unique individual. During that time, parents anticipate how th...

You joke you’re “type A” and your child’s other biological parent is lazy and carefree. Does that mean your child will be like you - organized and detail-oriented - or your partner? Parents have always wondered how their little ones end u...

Your baby can inherit a lot more than just hair color and physical features from its parents. As you await the arrival of your new baby, you’ll probably wonder not only what they will look like, but how they’ll act, talk, walk, and more. Than...

With the advent of inexpensive and easily accessible DNA testing opportunities for the general public thanks to companies like 23 and Me and Ancestry DNA, questions about various genes and their mutations have become familiar and commonly used. O...

Can you predict your new arrival’s weight? There are a few clues that can help you guess. But there’s no way to fill in the weight on the birth announcement until the nurse places your bundle of joy onto the scale.  The average baby is born...

Editor’s Note: We know raising kids can be hard. That’s why we’re dedicated to making your life easier with the latest and greatest parenting advice and products. We wanted to let you know that if you chose to purchase one of the items feat...

Genes are located on rodlike structures called chromosomes that are found in the nucleus of every cell in the body. Each gene occupies a specific position on a chromosome. Because genes provide instructions for making proteins, and proteins deter...

Watching your child grow up comes with the joys of seeing their looks and personality develop over time, as well as their skills (or lack thereof). If you are athletically inclined, it’s quite possible your child will also be an athlete, too. B...

If you have the time to be informed about your body, your expectations, and your options before pregnancy, would you? Well, great news! There are genetic screenings you can request when you decide you are ready to start #ttc. With recent, “at ...

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that pregnancy is pretty unpredictable. However, it doesn’t have to be nine months filled with unanswered questions and wondering what fate has in store for you. It can feel like grasping at st...

As a birth professional, I often get asked about traits and my opinion on if babies will come here with this or that! Most people ask about things like eye color and birth weight, but sometimes it’s things like hairline and webbed toes. More: ...

Wondering if your baby could be a redhead? Red hair is the rarest natural hair color in the world. Just 1-2% of all humans have red or orange hair. However, in Ireland and Scotland, about 20% of the population are redheads.  Could your little o...

If you are currently pregnant, or planning to become pregnant, you might know the term “genetic testing,” in which you undergo some medical tests to better understand your genetic health history that may or may not impact your child’s healt...

Baby cheeks are so sweet, pudgy, and pinchable. Pair those with adorable dimples and giggles and you have a baby akin to a kewpie doll.  Dimples are often seen as a desirable characteristic because they light up a face, even through smudged, te...