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Does coeliac disease run in families

Child with coeliac disease showing how coeliac disease can be passed down through families

Does coeliac disease run in families?

If you or someone in your family has coeliac disease, it’s natural to wonder about whether it will be passed down to your children. In New Zealand, coeliac disease is common and having a close relative with the condition does increase the risk. Here’s what parents need to know about genetics, risk, introducing gluten to … Read more

Illustrating how coeliac genes mean coeliac disease is hereditary

The coeliac genes

Coeliac disease has a hereditary component, which is why you’re more likely to develop coeliac disease if you have family members with the condition. More than 99% of people with coeliac disease have either the HLA-DQ2 or HLA-DQ8 gene (or parts of them), but these genes aren’t rare – in fact, around 30% of the … Read more