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Every time you’ve seen a new doctor, he or she has likely asked you about your family medical history, from your grandfather's diabetes to your aunt's depression. You can expect to get that same question from the practitioner who’s following your pregnancy at a preconception appointment or your first prenatal visit.
Having an understanding of your family health history is critical. Knowing this information helps your practitioner take proactive steps that ensure you have the healthiest pregnancy possible.
While only you and your partner had an active role in making that miraculous baby of yours, many other people play a part in shaping his life.
Your family health history is a record of any health treatments or conditions experienced by you, your partner or your families that could potentially affect the health of your pregnancy or your baby.
Many health conditions have a genetic component, so your practitioner will want to know whether certain conditions run in your family in order to evaluate your pregnancy risks, if any.
For example, if your mom had a pregnancy-related condition like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia or prenatal depression, you’re statistically more likely to experience it too. Your doctor will advise you on how to reduce your risk and keep an extra close lookout so he or she can diagnose and manage it early on, if necessary.
If birth defects, developmental disabilities or genetic defects run in your family, your doctor may want to screen for those in your baby as well. Your practitioner may refer you to a genetic counselor to understand how these conditions run in families and your particular risks.
You may already be familiar with the health history of close blood relatives like your parents, siblings, aunts and uncles, grandparents and great-grandparents. Don’t worry about relatives who aren’t related by blood, like step-parents. Review the form below and fill it out the best you can.
Next, send a copy to your parents and other family members, asking them to fill in pertinent details you may not have known about. If a family member isn’t comfortable sharing detailed health information, it’s understandable — have a heart-to-heart and explain why this information is helpful.
Don’t know much about a relative who has died? You may be able to get more information by asking the state health department for the death certificate and requesting health records from the hospital and providers who treated him or her.
If you can’t get someone to divulge information, if you’re adopted and aren’t in contact with your birth family, or if you aren’t able to get in touch with your child’s other parent, don’t stress. Just fill in as many details available to you.
If later on you remember something you forgot to mention, or if a family member is diagnosed with a new health condition, be sure to let your practitioner know.
Filling out your family’s health history before you conceive or early on in your pregnancy helps your practitioner prepare you to have the healthiest pregnancy possible.
From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and uses only credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions and highly respected health organizations. Learn how we keep our content accurate and up-to-date by reading our medical review and editorial policy.
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