Is Fetal Macrosomia Hereditary?

     Fetal macrosomia is a fetus larger than 9 to 10 pounds. Findings in a new study suggest that if you or your partner were larger than average babies at birth, you are likely to have a ‘big baby’. Based on the parents that were studied, even if only one parent was a large baby the chances of having a big baby were  more than double if only the father had been born larger than average. In addition, compared to both parents being macrosomia the chances of having a larger baby was more than three times if only the mother had been larger.

    Not only does studies related to this topic help excited partners when planning for their child, but knowing this type of information can serve as a preventative measure.  Sometimes, when babies are born larger than average there can be complications. However, knowing this chance is hereditary in your family can provide prenatal care and interventions to make sure there is a safe pregnancy and successful birth of the newborn.

Marital Satisfaction linked to Gene Variant

Researches from University of California-Berkeley did a study that suggest that a happy marriage or relationship is linked to genetics and a gene which helps in regulating serotonin can determine a persons emotional outlook on relationships. They say a gene variant, 5-HTTLPR which is inherited from parents, is linked to relationship fulfillment. It also determines how important emotions are to different people.

This study followed 156 couples from 1989 until present day, these couples are now middle aged or older.During the duration of the study each couple was asked every 5 years to come into a lab and have their marital satisfaction and interaction with one another evaluated and observed. Researches were observing conversation each couple had and wold look for facial expressions, body language, tone of voice, and the topic of the conversation in which the couples were having. Out of the 156 original couple participating 125 of those couples gave DNA samples which was used to match their genotype with their own marital satisfaction and interactions with each other that were observed in the lab. The study found that couples and participants with 2 short 5-HTTLPR alleles where the most unhappy when there was to much talk and focus on negative emotional, but were the happiest when around happier emotions. Those that had 1 or 2 long alleles were less affected by the emotions that were taking place in their marriage. Neither of these alleles have a positive or negative advantage. Those who had 2 short alleles which was 17% showed a strong connection between emotions and their marriage, 83% of the couples showed no correlation between their emotions and their marriage.

I chose to write about this article because I found it interseting that how happy a person could be in a relationship is do to a gene they have and not how fulfilling the relationship may actually be. But I also found it interesting how more couples had no correlation between their emotions and their marriage. 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/267235.php