Yes, it matters very much. Extensive research has identified many disorders that are more common in certain ethnic groups. This does not mean that one particular ethnicity is at higher risk for a genetic problem than any other. No ethnicity has "better genes" than another. It just means that research has identified particular disorders that are more common in particular groups. Some important examples are as follows (by no means is this a complete list):
• African Americans - sickle cell anemia
• Mediterranean origin - thallassemia
• Ashkenazi Jews (Jews of European origin) - Tay Sachs disease, Gaucher disease, and others
• Caucasians - Cystic Fibrosis
If you are in one of these ethnic groups, you should speak with your health care provider about tests that you might be able to take to discover the risks of transmitting these problems to your offspring. Indeed, it is probably a good idea to speak with your provider no matter what your ethnic origins are. He or she might be able to identify particular risks that you may have by taking a careful history.
Please keep in mind, that if you are in any of these groups, this does not mean at all that you have "bad genes". It just means that you are fortunate that scientific research has identified some of the things that you are at risk for. Everyone has some genes that can cause disease in their offspring; just they might not know what those genes are because the research hasn't yet been done. There is no evidence at all that genetic disease in general is any more common in any particular ethnic group.
