Your ancestry, sometimes referred to as your ethnicity, describes the origins of your family. Clues about your ancestry can be found in your DNA. Individuals who are related share many of the same genetic variations found throughout the genetic code. Some of this variation is associated with an increased risk of certain conditions. This is why some conditions occur more frequently in certain ethnic backgrounds. Since DNA is passed on throughout multiple generations of a family, your risk of certain genetic conditions or diseases may depend on your ethnic background.

What is ancestry or ethnicity testing?

Ancestry or ethnicity testing looks at a person's DNA to find variations in the genetic code that are common to a particular ethnic group. Comparing your genetic code to known common genetic variations across different ethnicities allows us to make estimates of your ancestral background.

Ancestry affects the chance that you will inherit certain conditions based on your genetic background.

How can Mayo Clinic GeneGuide™ determine if I belong to a certain ethnic group and how does that affect my health?

There are many examples of diseases or conditions that occur more commonly in certain ethnic groups. In order to better understand your risk of certain conditions, it's helpful to know your ethnicity. Mayo Clinic GeneGuide™ uses single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) testing to assess your ethnicity by evaluating a large number of DNA variants or SNPs across your entire genome.

Your results are compared with the results of others who've had genetic testing. This provides you with an estimation of your ethnic background. When you get your other results, you will also get information on increased risk of disease, if any, associated with specific ethnicity.

People in ethnic groups with increased risk of specific genetic conditions might also benefit from carrier screening before starting a family. For example, Jewish people of Eastern European descent (Ashkenazi Jews) may be offered carrier screening for several genetic diseases that occur frequently or mainly in their population.

Groups screened in Mayo Clinic GeneGuide™ ancestry testing

Mayo Clinic GeneGuide™ will assign you to one of the following six medically relevant ethnic groups:

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• African
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• Ashkenazi (Eastern European) Jewish
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• Hispanic
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• European
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• East Asian
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• South Asian
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Your results will show whether or not you are at an increased risk to be a carrier for certain conditions.

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While Mayo Clinic GeneGuide™ offers these categories many people have mixed backgrounds. For these people results may be less specific.