Diseases and Conditions
Phenylketonuria (PKU)
Overview
Symptoms
Causes
Risk factors
Complications
Prevention
Diagnosis
Treatment
Lifestyle and home remedies
Coping and support
Preparing for an appointment
Risk factors
Risk factors for inheriting PKU include:
- Having both parents with a defective gene that causes PKU. Two parents must pass along a copy of the defective gene for their child to develop the condition.
- Being of certain ethnic descent. The gene defect that causes PKU varies by ethnic groups and it's less common in African-Americans than in other ethnic groups.
