When a Parent Has an Abnormal Gene

Inheritance Pattern

Chance of Inheriting the Disorder

Chance of Being a Carrier*

Autosomal dominant

50% for sons and daughters

0%

Autosomal recessive

25% for sons and daughters if both parents are carriers (each parent has one abnormal gene)*

0% if only 1 parent is a carrier

50% for sons and daughters, if both parents or only 1 parent is a carrier*

X-linked dominant

50% when the mother has the gene, usually only in daughters because the abnormal gene is often lethal in sons

0%

X-linked recessive

50% for sons when the mother has the gene

50% for daughters when the mother has the gene

100% for daughters when the father has the gene

* Carriers have only one abnormal gene and usually have no symptoms of the disorder that the gene causes.