1. Have you shrunk?
If your mum is shorter than she used to be she probably has osteoporosis, the brittle bone disease. Breaking bones easily is another sign that she could have it. If your mum has osteoporosis, you could be five times more likely to get it too. Giving up smoking, doing weight-bearing exercise and getting enough calcium can help to prevent it. If you’re concerned, see your doctor about having a bone density test.
2. Did you have a hard time during pregnancy?
If your mum had a tough time while she was expecting, chances are you might too. A tendency to have morning sickness can run in families. One study found the daughters of women who had severe morning sickness are three times more likely to have it. If your mother had miscarriages you may be more prone to them. You could also have a greater risk of pre-eclampsia – which causes swelling and high blood pressure and can be very dangerous to both baby and mother – if your mother had it.
3. Have you ever been depressed?
One in every six New Zealanders will experience serious depression at some time in their life and many keep quiet about it. If your mother has suffered from major depression this may make you up to three times as likely to develop it, according to research by the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
4. Have you had high blood sugar levels?
If blood tests have shown that your mum has high levels of blood sugar this could mean she has pre-diabetes. This condition occurs when your blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not quite high enough to be classified as type-2 diabetes. If your mum is pre-diabetic, she’s got a greater chance of developing diabetes. If she does, your risk will alsoincrease. But if you know you’re at risk, you can try to reduce your chances by making lifestyle changes such as doing more exercise and shedding kilos if you are overweight.
5. What did your parents and grandparents die from?
Some illnesses can run in the family. These include heart disease and some types of cancer such as bowel, breast and ovarian cancers. Knowing you could be prone to them means you can make lifestyle changes and have tests to help lower your chances.
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