Your family health history

What is your family health history?

Your family health history is a record of any health conditions and treatments that you, your partner and everyone in both of your families have had. It can help you find out about medical problems that run in your family that may negatively affect your pregnancy and your baby.

Recording your family health history can help you and your healthcare provider better understand your unique risk factors and make important health decisions. It can help you learn about the health of your baby even before they’re born. Knowing about health conditions before or early in your pregnancy can help you and your health care provider decide on treatments and care for your baby.

How do you record your family health history?

Use this form to take your family health history. Send a copy of the form to family members related to you by blood. 

• Ask them to fill it out and send it back to you. 
• Have them add as much information as they can about their health and the health of their parents, grandparents and other family members. 
• Try to get a form from everyone in your family and your partner’s family.

When you fill out the form:

1. Read the directions at the beginning of each section. Don’t skip them. The directions can help you fill out the form with important information.
2. Take your time. You may not know all the answers. Check with your partner and family to help you answer all the questions.
3. Focus only on family members who are related to you by blood. This includes your brothers, sisters, parents and grandparents. You don’t need to include step-parents or step-brothers, step-sisters or other step-family members.

Keeping track of your health history never stops. Add to it as your family grows and changes. To help make sure that your history is up to date, keep copies of:

• Medical exams, including dates and treatments
• Test results
• Medicines you take, both prescription and over-the-counter

Family events like reunions, baby showers, or holidays can be a great time to get your family health history. At your next family gathering, ask everyone in your family to tell you their health histories. Go back as many generations as you can — ask about your grandparents and great grandparents.

What if some family members don’t want to share their family health history information?

Not everyone wants to talk about health. Some members of your family may feel that health conditions are private or talking about them may bring memories of a negative experience. Some may be worried about what you find out about your family’s health.

Don’t be upset if people don’t want to share. Try having a one-on-one conversation with family members who don’t want to fill out the form. Tell them why you’re asking about their health history. If they know why it’s important to you, they may be more willing to share health information. Learning about health problems can help you and your family live healthier lives.

What if I’m adopted or my partner is adopted?

If you or your partner is adopted, you may not know much about your birth family’s health history. This is OK. Start collecting your own medical information and add what you do know about your birth family.  

How do you find health information about family members who have died?

You may be able to find health information about a family member who’s died by:

• Asking other family members what they know about the person’s health and death
• Requesting a copy of the person’s death certificate. You can do this from the state health department where the person died. Death certificates are different in each state, but they usually include information about the person’s age when they died and the date and cause of death. You have to pay a fee for each copy you request.
• Requesting copies of the person’s medical records from providers and hospitals. You can get these records if you’re the person’s personal representative. This means that before they died, the person gave you legal permission for you to have their medical records.

How can you use your family health history?

Once you’ve have your family health history recorded, you can share it with your health care provider. You can:

• Show it to your provider at your preconception checkup or your first prenatal care appointment. This can help your provider figure out if you’re likely to pass a condition to your baby during pregnancy. Some providers may have their own forms or use electronic tools (like a tablet) to collect family health history. If so, use the information you’ve gathered to help you fill out your provider’s form. And give your provider a copy of your form for their records.
• Your family members. It’s great information for everyone in your family. It’s really helpful for someone who’s pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant.

If you learn that your family has a health condition that gets passed from parent to child, you may want to see a genetic counselor.  This is a person who is trained to help you understand about how genes, birth defects and other medical conditions run in families, and how they can affect your health and your baby's health. Your provider can help you find a a genetic counselor, or you can contact the National Society of Genetic Counselors.

How can you make sure your family health history is kept private?

Any health information you share with your provider is private and safe. It doesn’t matter if the information comes from a prenatal test, is written down in a paper form, gets added into a computer or is shared during a talk you have with your provider. Only your health care team knows your health information, and they’re not allowed to share it with anyone else without your permission.

Don’t be afraid to be honest with your provider or to share your health concerns with them. Your provider can’t tell anyone else what you say without your permission.

More information

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Family health history

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Knowing Is Not Enough - How to Act on Your Family Health History

Genetic Alliance Does it run in the family?

Genetic Alliance Genes In Life

U.S. Surgeon General’s Office My Family Health Portrait

National Institutes of Health Family Health History for Patients and Families

See also: March of Dimes Family Health History Form

Last reviewed: January 2024