Have you ever looked in the mirror and realised you share a striking resemblance to your mom but then you bear your dad’s height? This is because you inherited such traits from either of your parents.

The science behind inheriting certain trait from your african mom and dad can be a bit complicated because even your hairline, dimples and intelligence is affected by what your parents passed down to you genitically.

According Heather Hampel, a genetics counselor at the city of Hope Cancer Center in Duarte, there are 20,000 genes that make up your body and half of this number comes from both parents.

This doesn’t make your genes your destiny because only a small percentage of the genes are penetrant. For this small fraction, they will 100% of the time express itself, according to Hampel and Taylor Sabato.

Which Genetic Traits are then Inherited from your mom and Dad?

According to Sabato, you can inherit traits from your parents in several ways. One way is through a dominant gene. If you inherit a dominant gene, that trait will typically be expressed.

For example, brown eyes are a dominant trait, so if one of your parents has brown eyes, you are likely to have brown eyes as well. Another way is through a recessive gene. For a recessive trait to appear, both parents must carry and pass on the recessive gene.

Blue eyes, for instance, require both parents to carry the gene for blue eyes, even if their own eye color is not blue.

The dominant inheritance occurs when a single gene variant from either your mom or dad determines whether you will express a specific trait. In contrast, recessive inheritance requires a gene variant from both parents for the trait to appear.

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Up next, we will explore these traits That Come from Your African Mom and Dad below:

1. Intelligence: Inherited from Mom

Yes, intelligence is inherited and there has been countless research to confirm that it is inherited from the mother. This is because the gene responsible for intelligence is in the X chromosome and women carry two X chromosomes while men carry just one X chromosome.

The reasonable conclusion to these facts is that women are twice as likely to pass on their intelligence to their offsprings.

It is important however to note that only 40% of intelligence is hereditary according to work in the International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, with the other 60% impacted by environmental factors and nongenetic influence.

2. Risk for Certain Cancer Types: Inherited from Both Parents.

According to Heather Hampel, who is an internationally recognized cancer genetic counselor and researcher, if there is a single mistake in the genes from either side of your parents then you have a 50 -50 chance of inheriting that cancer gene or not inheriting it.

One of the most common is Lynch syndrome, which involves a mutation in the MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, PMS2 or EPCAM genes. It may mean an elevated risk for colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer, ovarian cancer and other related cancers. The BRCA genes can increase risk for breast and ovarian cancer as well.

Here’s the surprising part: you don’t need to have the organ to inherit the gene, says Hampel. For instance, you can inherit the ovarian cancer gene from your dad, just as you can inherit the breast cancer gene. Additionally, men with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation face a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and other cancers.

3. Sleeping Patterns: Inherited from Mother

If you are having difficulties sleeping, then its most likely that your mom had similar issues. Research in the November 2023 issue of the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry showed a genetic predisposition to the development of insomnia in kids was associated with insomnia-like symptoms reported by their moms.

4. Your ability to focus: Inherited from Mother.

According to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry, children born to mothers with lower-than-normal serotonin levels were 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to develop attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) later in life compared to those whose mothers had normal serotonin levels.

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5. Your high cholesterol: Inherited from Both Parents

You follow a low-fat diet and exercise regularly, yet your cholesterol remains high—what’s going on? According to Hampel, genetics could be the culprit. Certain genes inherited from both parents, such as those linked to familial hypercholesterolemia, can cause high cholesterol.

This condition, affecting about 1 in 250 people, significantly raises the risk of early heart disease. It’s caused by mutations in the LDLR, APOB, and PCSK9 genes, which influence how your body regulates and removes cholesterol from the bloodstream, explains Hampel. Genetic testing is available to detect these mutations. If you’ve inherited high cholesterol, it’s important to consult your doctor about proactive steps to protect your heart health.

6. Your diminishing hairline: Inherited from Mom…

You might have heard that a man’s hair loss is inherited from his mother’s side, but a study published in PLoS Genetics suggests this may be a myth.

The study, which analyzed over 55,000 men, identified 287 independent genetic signals linked to male-pattern hair loss. While 40 of these were found on the X chromosome and inherited from the maternal side, the majority were spread across DNA inherited from both parents.

These finding challenges common assumptions about inherited traits and highlights how complex the genetic landscape is—including other Inherited Traits That Come from Your African Mom and Dad. Interestingly, some of the genes associated with hair loss are also linked to a higher risk of heart disease in men.

7. Fertility: Inherited from Father

According to a study published in Science, a woman’s fertility might be influenced by a gene inherited from her father. Normally, during the development of an egg cell, centrioles—a part of the cell—are eliminated as part of the natural process.

However, if the centrioles are not eliminated, often due to a genetic dysfunction passed down from her dad, it can result in sterility, researchers explain.

8. Chances of Hitting Puberty Early: Inherited from Dad

Puberty, with its milestones like acne, voice changes, or starting your period, is a rite of passage—and, it turns out, partially an inherited trait.

Both parents’ genetics influence when puberty begins, but starting early—before age 8 in girls and 9 in boys—may be linked to a gene inherited from your father, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers identified a genetic mutation that causes premature puberty, meaning if you inherit it, you may experience these changes earlier than your peers.

9. Your ability to lose or gain weight: Inherited from Both Parents

Your body has two types of fat: brown fat, which boosts metabolism and helps maintain a healthy weight, and white fat, the “bad” fat linked to obesity and disease. While everyone has both types, the amount of brown fat you have—and your metabolic rate—might be inherited from your mom, according to a study published in Nature.

On the other hand, your dad may influence how much white fat you store, particularly around your organs, as the same study found that fat storage is partially linked to genes passed down from fathers.

But it’s not all about genetics, explains Sabato. “There isn’t one gene that determines weight loss ability. Environmental and genetic factors, as well as medical conditions like diabetes or polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), play a role in weight management.” From a genetics perspective, multiple gene variants may increase the risk for conditions that affect weight regulation.

10. Memory: Inherited from Mother

A family history of Alzheimer’s disease has long been associated with a higher risk of developing the illness, but a new study published in Biological Psychiatry reveals that the genetic risk may primarily come from your mother.

As the leading cause of dementia later in life, Alzheimer’s affects nearly 6 million people in the United States. Understanding the factors that contribute to your risk—including your mother’s medical history—can help you take proactive steps to protect your brain health, the researchers emphasized.

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11. Vision Problems: From Either or Both Parents

Several vision-limiting conditions, such as Stargardt disease, Usher syndrome, and retinitis pigmentosa (RP), can be inherited from your parents.

While there is currently no way to reverse the risks associated with inheriting gene variants linked to these conditions, consulting an ophthalmologist or genetic counselor can be helpful.

Sabato recommends seeking guidance if these conditions run in your family or if you have been diagnosed with one of them.