YOPD and genetics
My wife’s father was diagnosed with Young-Onset Parkinson’s at 38. We’re both in our mid-20s now, and recently did genetic testing because we want to have kids.
The results showed that my wife carries a Gaucher-related mutation linked to increased Parkinson’s risk, and ever since then she’s been terrified that she’ll develop YOPD too. Watching what her dad has gone through — and what it’s done to the family — makes it feel very real to her.
She’s now even questioning whether we should have children because she’s afraid of passing this on.
We’ve been trying to understand what the actual risk looks like when a parent has YOPD, especially combined with a GBA/Gaucher mutation, but it’s surprisingly hard to find clear information online.
Has anyone here dealt with something similar? How do you cope with the uncertainty around genetics and family planning?