My biggest concern post-diagnosis was whether MS is inherited

When I was initially evaluated for multiple sclerosis (MS), I was asked if I had a family history of the disease. To my knowledge, I did not. Once I received my diagnosis, one of the first things that crossed my mind, after recovering from the initial shock of the news, was, “Will my children also have MS?” I think this might be a common experience for parents with the condition.

I’m not an anxious person or a worrier. I usually function under the philosophy that the outcome will be the same whether you worry about it or not, so why waste time and energy worrying about something you have no control over?

But when it comes to my children, I will admit that this question of whether they’ll also have MS caused me anxiety and quickly rose to the top of my worry list.

Is MS inherited?

I always say the gene pool was not kind to me. In addition to MS, I have been living with psoriatic arthritis since I was a teenager. Unfortunately, I believe my son inherited psoriasis from me. So when I was asked if I had a family history of MS, I assumed it was a highly inheritable disease and that my children were destined to develop it — thus the worry and anxiety.

Well, thank goodness, my assumption was incorrect! I did some online research about genetics and MS, and also spoke with my healthcare provider, which has calmed my anxiety. MS is not a heritable disease, meaning it’s not passed from parents to children in the same way as eye color.

While a person’s genetic makeup can affect MS risk, there isn’t just one gene associated with multiple sclerosis. I was surprised to learn that there are at least 200 genes thought to potentially contribute to MS development. With so many genes possibly involved, it seems less likely that my children would have all the variants that could contribute to the disease. I guess this is a case where MS being complex and complicated is a positive thing.

Additionally, genetics aren’t the sole determinant of whether my children will develop the disease. Environmental and lifestyle factors can also play a role, as MS News Today notes.

Living in certain geographic regions can affect your risk of developing MS. One reason for this could be the differences in sun exposure, which can affect vitamin D levels. Researchers have found that vitamin D deficiency can be a risk factor for MS.

A history of certain bacterial or viral illnesses can increase the risk of developing the disease, as well as lifestyle factors such as smoking and obesity. My children’s exposure to these environmental and lifestyle factors has been very different from mine, and I hope those differences will decrease their chances of contracting the disease.

Because I have MS, it’s estimated that my children have about a 1.5%, or 1 in 67, chance of developing it, whereas the risk in the general population is about 0.3%, or 1 in 333. About 1 in 5 patients have a family history of the condition.

I wish my children’s risk were closer to that of the general population, but it’s significantly lower than what I’d initially thought, which is comforting. I haven’t removed this concern from my worry list, but it ranks much lower than it did previously.

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Note: Multiple Sclerosis News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Multiple Sclerosis News Today or its parent company, BioNews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to multiple sclerosis.