Family Pedigree Symbols – Anatomy System – Human Body Anatomy diagram and chart images

Family Pedigree Symbols

Family pedigree symbols are a standardized set of symbols used to represent the genetic traits and relationships within a family. These symbols are used in the construction of a family history diagram, also known as a genetic pedigree. A genetic pedigree captures details about the health of multiple generations, which can be important in diagnosing an inherited condition, revealing a pattern of inheritance, and informing clinical decisions regarding testing and management.

Basic Pedigree Symbols

1. Living Unaffected Female: Represented by a clear circle.
2. Living Unaffected Male: Represented by a clear square.
3. Unknown Gender: Represented by a clear diamond.
4. Living Affected Female: Represented by a black circle.
5. Living Affected Male: Represented by a black square.
6. Adoption: Brackets are placed around the adopted individual. A dashed offspring line indicates the individual was adopted into the family, and a solid line indicates the individual was adopted out of the family.
7. Deceased: Represented by a symbol with a diagonal line.

Pregnancy Symbols

1. Pregnancy: Use a diamond if the gender is not yet known, a circle or a square if the gender is known.
2. Pregnancy Not Carried to Term: Represented by a triangle.
3. Stillbirth (SB), Spontaneous abortion (SAB), Termination of pregnancy (TOP), Ectopic pregnancy (ECT): These are represented using specific abbreviations.

Additional Symbols

1. Multiple Individuals: A number within the symbol indicates multiple individuals.
2. Proband Individuals: An arrow pointing towards the symbol indicates proband individuals or they usually have the disorder of interest.

Conclusion

Understanding these symbols is crucial for healthcare professionals as it allows them to read and understand a genetic pedigree. This understanding can be useful when considering the communication of information and the clinical management of the whole family. The use of these internationally recognized symbols and lines ensures that any health professional can read and understand a genetic pedigree.