Genogram assignment

Genogram Family History

Generational family health histories are best recorded graphically as a family tree known as pedigree. Pedigree diagram is a cost-effective tool in preconception for counseling all individuals at greater risks of inheriting disorders and help individuals identify life partners who are excluded from personal risks of disorder with a genetic etiology. The collection and interpretation of a pedigree is helpful for the assessment of all productive human options which include prenatal testing, donor gametes, as well as the pre-implantation diagnosis. Moreover, they are helpful for decision-making concerning carrier testing for recessive and X-linked disorders which are based on certain family history. Therefore, nurses should be able to perform a genetic family history assessment on all the patients they see, especially couples who want to have children. To identify any potential illness or disorder with a genetic component, it is vital to have a genogram representation of three generations of family so that the family can be provided with proper lifestyle advice, screening recommendations, and potential options for reproduction (Kaakinenet al., 2014). When assessing a family’s genome, it is important to not assume that a condition is genetic if one than one family member has it. For the purpose of this paper I will use my own family and myself. 

Pedigree Diagram

Family Members and Health History

In my immediate family, there are my parents, sister, half-sister, and myself. My father is 69 years old with history of hypertension, osteoarthritis, and recent knee replacement surgery with lithotripsy treatment thrice and smokes an average of two packets of cigarette per day. My mother is 61 years old with a history of hypertension, allergy issues, and kidney stones. My half-sister (Jane) is 36 years old obese with history of umbilical hernia repair. My sister, Diana is 34 years old with history of hiatal hernia and GERD. Currently, I am a 30 years old, married with polycystic ovarian syndrome. My immediately next generation is my grandparents on both sides. My only living grandparent is my paternal grandmother, Mary. Mary is 90 years old with her only pacemaker as her only medical history. 

The only genetic disease that runs in my family is Gaucher’s disease that my brother-in-law, Kennedy (Diana’ husband) has. Gaucher’s disease is characterized by signs and symptoms such as enlargement of the liver and spleen, a low number of red blood cells, easy bruising that results from a decline in blood platelets, lung disease, and bone abnormalities like bone pain, fractures, or arthritis (U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2016). 

Family Members Ethnic Background, Reproductive History, & Growth and Development

Most of my family is European Caucasian with my parental grandmother and father being born in Italy and parental grandfather and mother being born in Germany. My grandmother had four healthy pregnancies and adopted one child. My mother had three health pregnancies. My half-sister, Jane had six healthy pregnancies with seven children, three of which were through surrogacy with one twin pregnancy. My sister, Diana had three health pregnancies without any complications. I am currently pregnant with my second child. 

Family Understanding of Genetic Health Risks

On the side of my sister, she was aware of her husband’s Gaucher’s disease. She was tested for the gene before having her first children. Dian is not a carrier, meaning that her children are only carriers but do not possess the disease. Therefore, Diana’s children must ensure that their spouses do not have the disease or even be carriers. In case the disease ran in our family and Diana was a carrier, and considering that her husband has the disease, then every child they could have together would have a 25% probability of having the disease. 

Conclusion

Overall, genetic assessment is vital for a family to prevent a dominant gene to be passed on to the next generation. Even though genetic counseling is important, it is often difficult for couples or families to talk about but it nowadays. However, genetic counseling should be performed before having a pregnancy because there are no pressures at this time (Kaakinen et al., 2014). Genetic counseling is recommended to every couple or at least as assessment on genetic abnormalities that may run on their families. In most occasions, many couples might simply want to talk through this assessment and avoid the actual genetic testing. However, either way the family needs to have the genetic testing option before or right after a pregnancy. 

References

Kaakinen, J.R., Gedaly-Guff, V., Coehlo, D.P., & Hanson, S.M.H. (2018). Family health 

care nursing: Theory, practice, and research (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F.A. 

Davis Company.

U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2016, November 8). Gaucher disease - Genetics 

Home Reference. Retrieved May 9, 2017, from 

https://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/gaucher-disease