Creating a family medical history

December 1, 2021

By Kelly Bilodeau, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

How healthy are your family members? Knowing the answer may help you prevent some chronic diseases.

You鈥檝e got your father鈥檚 smile, hazel eyes like your sister, and your grandmother鈥檚 curly hair. However, while your genes may confer some of your best traits, they can also bring some less-welcome inheritances 鈥� namely, a higher risk for certain health conditions.

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About the Author

Kelly Bilodeau, Former Executive Editor, Harvard Women's Health Watch

Kelly Bilodeau is the former executive editor of Harvard Women’s Health Watch. She began her career as a newspaper reporter and later went on to become a managing editor at HCPro, a Boston-area healthcare publishing company, … See Full Bio

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