Age of Onset and Transmission to Children

My mom was diagnosed at 54. I was diagnosed this past November at 25. My 3 younger siblings are good so far. Oddly enough I was diagnosed less than 2 years after my mom.

I was diagnosed in late 20s.  I have 2 kids, ages 9 and 6 neither have UC.  I was the first in my family history to have UC.  So from my perspective hereditary doesnt play that much of a role.  I do have a family history of the following mental illness, heart disease, breast cancer, thyroid cancer, bladder cancer, rhymtiod arthritis, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few at the moment.  Did any of those stop me from having kids - no.  So why would I not have kids because of worry of passing on UC. 

My 9 year old does have asthma and no family history of that whatsoever.  So really what diseases children may or may not end up with is not entirely made up by family health history.

deltaforce, is there a question about the test? Ill do research but since her gig is mainly autism I was just after the tests...

Red_34 said...
IBD runs in my family. My mother had Crohn's and my great grandmother had something similar

Sometimes I think that Crohn's and UC are the same illness or somehow linked but has different effect on the body (Crohn's affecting the whole digestive tract while UC doesn't). Do you agree?

Personally, I would not have children. I could not ever knowingly risk passing this horrific disease just because I want a baby. My dad likely had CD (born 1930) and my mom had UC (now ostomy). They should not have procreated!! (Of course they didn't know what we know now) I've had bowel troubles since 16 but officially diagnosed at 28 (same age as my mom). It's not just thinking of the genetic component though...it's how "present" are you going to be in your childs life. For me, I've spent more time in hospitals, doctors, scouring the internet for "cures", spending $$ or herbs and lotions and potions. It's exhausting. If I had kids and was able to get up for their hockey game, I wouldn't spend time with actually watching, but wondering when I'll need to make a mad dash.

This disease (IBD) is so subjective. Some here have minor, controlled flares and are able to work, enjoy kids etc without too much disruption. Some like me (and it seems that this disease is become more voracious) don't get a break even with the best of everything available. You also don't know if your UC and change into CD....mine did 10 years after diagnosis.

Sorry to be doom and gloom but to be frank I think it would have been absolutely selfish of me to procreate given this disease. Young children from 1yr - 16yr are the fastest growing group of IBDer's and nobody knows why. Yes, I would love to feel a baby grow inside me and have all the joys associated with that. I sometimes get tearful watching families in the park knowing that I'll never have kids because I've chosen not too. I'd rather feel the heartbreak of not having kids then to have the heartbreak of watching them suffer with this disease .

There are lots of orphaned kids who need a loving home, more so now then ever. Adoption is a blessing and I commend you for being pragmatic and having this discussion. That's the sign of a good parent to be!