Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

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Posted by Goldi1021

I would ask your doctor. I wouldnt give this type of advice with out knowing more and I wouldnt want to scare anyone. I am sorry if I did.

I saw an episode of Law and Order SVU where a Jewish mother killed her child under the guise of a mercy killing because she found out her child had Tay Sachs and that disease is painful, killing many of its young victims by the age of 5. Her husband was a converted Jew (from Catholicism) so it was impossible that this child was his. She had an affair with a man who was a carrier for Tay Sachs and killed the baby to cover the affair. Its a stretch but who knows.

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don't worry i'm just overly paranoid about everything.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

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Posted by Goldi1021

I would ask your doctor. I wouldnt give this type of advice with out knowing more and I wouldnt want to scare anyone. I am sorry if I did.

I saw an episode of Law and Order SVU where a Jewish mother killed her child under the guise of a mercy killing because she found out her child had Tay Sachs and that disease is painful, killing many of its young victims by the age of 5. Her husband was a converted Jew (from Catholicism) so it was impossible that this child was his. She had an affair with a man who was a carrier for Tay Sachs and killed the baby to cover the affair. Its a stretch but who knows.

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No, I thank you for this posting! I would have never even thought about something like this. My father's family is from the Ukaine and his mother's family is from Poland. There is NOT much that we know about them (my grandmother died like a week after I was born), so our heritage is spotty at best. Even though my family is currently Catholic who knows what's in our history books :) Also considering FI's heritage is Urkainian, it's best to be careful. Thanks for the informative post!!

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

We are not planning on children soon, but it is something I keep in the back of my mind. In addition to all the diseases that are more common for Jews on Eastern European backgrounds, there is also Muscular Dystrophy in my immediate family, so I want to see if I'm a carrier or not.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

Tay Sachs runs in my family so if I were marrying a Jewish guy I would definitely have had both of us tested... but no - he's a Guinny so no recessive gene diseases for our future offspring...

Actually, FH used to sell pharmaceutical therapies that monitored Gaucher disease and other rare genetic diseases that affect the Ashkinazi Jewish population. It is probably a good idea to get tested if you are of similar backgrounds, certainly can't hurt.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

I have thought about this. I am Jewish and my husband is Catholic however I will still have the blood tests done. Some diseases are not specific to certain religious backgrounds.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

You're right about this. MY FH and I both have a side of the family from Mincks (sp?), Russia, and there are definitely some genetic similarities (looks-wise). Back in the day families intermarried (as opposed to marrying people of other religions and cultures). It's totally normal.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

I was definatly thinking about this also, but I'm not all Eastern European Jewish, my father was Greek Jewish and Puerto Rican (so I am like Juan Epstein from Welcome Back Kotter!). I wonder if I could still be a carrier? There's none in either of our families that I know about...

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

My FH is adopted and I want him to find his birth family for serveral reasons. This is one.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

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Posted by ShortBride

I was definatly thinking about this also, but I'm not all Eastern European Jewish, my father was Greek Jewish and Puerto Rican (so I am like Juan Epstein from Welcome Back Kotter!). I wonder if I could still be a carrier? There's none in either of our families that I know about...

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Doubtful, but I'd still ask your doctor. Id rather know than not know.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

Well I realized we really both should be tested. FH is Jewish by religion, but Russian and Polish by nationality, and I'm Catholic by religion, but my father is Jewish, and I'm Puerto Rican, Russian, Polish and Italian by nationality.

Definitely possibilities of anything going on here!!

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

fh and i plan on getting tested for the jewish genetic diseases. better safe than sorry.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

We are having the test done also. We are both Jewish. Already spoke with the gyno about having the test done.

Re: Family planning (Namely Jewish couples)

Fh asked his doctor if he should do it and he said not to unless I tested positive. And here I am thinking, why can't HE do it first!