What increases my risk for congenital myotonic dystrophy?

Since congenital myotonic dystrophy is inherited, your risk is increased by certain genetic factors. The disease is usually passed down through the mother's genes, so if she has the mutation for the disorder, the child is at a greater risk. Many times, if a child has congenital myotonic dystrophy, it's discovered that the mother has the adult-onset version of the disease, even though symptoms may be unnoticeable. In some cases, the adult-onset form of the disease can be passed to a child from a father, so if the father has the disease, the child is also at risk.