At this time, no test can determine whether an unborn child does or does not have the Marfan syndrome. An explanation of the way in which genetic disorders are inherited often gives families a better understanding of the Marfan syndrome. Whereas this section briefly describes heredity, a genetic counselor may be better able to answer your specific questions and concerns about inheriting Marfan syndrome. Marfan syndrome is passed on within families from one generation to the next. Just as children may inherit normal features such as brown eyes or curly hair from one or both parents, children can also inherit certain disorders.
Genes are the units of hereditary material.
They contain coded instructions which direct the development of every cell and tissue in the human body. You might think of genes as blueprints, specifying how the body will develop and function. Genes and chromosomes exist in pairs. At the time of conception, each parent contributes one gene and one chromosome from each of his or her gene and chromosome pairs. The genes and chromosomes from each parent combine into new pairs which determine the traits a child inherits.