How is a family medical history used?

You inherit half of your genetic profile from each parent. Along with the genetic information that determines your appearance, you also inherit genes that might cause or increase your risk of certain medical conditions. On the other hand, you might have a family history that indicates you are at a lower risk for certain conditions. A family medical history can reveal the history of disease in your family and help you to identify patterns that might be relevant to your own health.

Your doctor might use your family medical history to:

• Assess your risk of certain diseases
• Recommend changes in diet or other lifestyle habits to reduce the risk of disease
• Recommend medications or treatments to reduce the risk of disease
• Determine which diagnostic tests to order
• Determine the type and frequency of screening tests
• Determine whether you or family members should get a specific genetic test
• Identify a condition that might not otherwise be considered
• Identify other family members who are at risk of developing a certain disease
• Assess your risk of passing conditions on to your children

A family medical history can't predict your future health. It only provides information about risk. Other factors — such as your diet, weight, exercise routine and exposure to environmental factors — also affect your risk of developing certain diseases.