The doctor explained the influence of bad heredity on the quality of life

Candidate of Medical Sciences, Head of the MONICA Center for the Treatment of Rare Diseases. Yulia Kotalevskaya told Vladimirsky how heredity affects a person's quality of life.

In an interview with Radio 1 on Monday, April 27, the specialist noted that sometimes a "breakdown" in just one piece of DNA can lead to a serious illness, and sometimes it does not manifest itself for decades. According to her, the reason for visiting a geneticist may be not only a disease, but also pregnancy planning.

The expert explained that even in the absence of hereditary pathologies in the family, a person can undergo a carrier examination, most often this is done when planning children. According to her, first, a geneticist is consulted and a pedigree analysis is performed, after which it is decided whether an examination is necessary before pregnancy or already during it.

The specialist also noted that if previously newborns were tested for five diseases, then from 2026 — for 38. At the same time, as she explained, if the child is healthy, the parents are not informed, and if the risk is identified, additional tests are prescribed and, if the diagnosis is confirmed, treatment by specialized specialists. The expert added that hereditary diseases can be detected even before symptoms appear, and the sooner this is done, the better.

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In March, pediatrician, allergist and immunologist Pavel Berezhansky called heredity and stress risk factors for developing allergies. According to him, it is completely impossible to cure allergies, but with the help of prevention and therapy, remission can be achieved. 360.ru .

Also in March, obstetrician-gynecologist Sabina Khanmirzoeva dispelled the myth of the heredity of Down syndrome. According to her, in most cases it is not about heredity, but about an accidental genetic error. Normally, a person has 46 chromosomes, and in pathology there are 47. Excess genetic material disrupts the body's development plan, the website clarifies kp.ru .

In February, Andrei Simakov, a gastroenterologist, ultrasound diagnostician, and specialist in neurogastroenterology, told RIAMO that cancer prevention requires not chaotic examinations, but a clear and informed approach, taking into account age and heredity. He added that from the age of 40, it is recommended to undergo an EGDS and a video colonoscopy every 5 years.

At the same time, Sergey Kutsev, chief freelance specialist in medical genetics at the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, said that newborns in Russia would be tested for new hereditary diseases, such as X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase deficiency.

In November, experts said that hereditary fructose intolerance is a rare genetic disease in which the body is unable to process the sugar fructose. Even small portions of fruits, vegetables, or sweets can cause serious health problems.