Infertility may also occur in males with this milder form of CAH, although it is not common. The adrenal glands are located on top of the kidneys, in the area of the back near the waistline. Cortisol is responsible for maintaining the body's energy supply, blood sugar, and control of the body's reaction to stress. An enzyme is a protein substance naturally occurring in the body which facilitates chemical changes in the body. Production of adrenal enzymes is controlled by genes.
Genes are areas on the chromosomes with specific function.
The chromosomal composition of an individual comes from the parents, each contributing one half. The genetic make up determines the child's features before birth. CAH results when two defective genes for adrenal enzyme production, one from each parent, are inherited by a child. The parents usually do not have this disorder because they are only carriers of this disorder, that is they have inherited one normal gene and one affected gene for the enzyme from their parents. The normal gene is dominant and blocks the expression of the defective gene.