Since Duchenne muscular dystrophy is inherited, your risk is increased by certain genetic factors. Males are much more commonly affected than females, so being a male increases your risk. In most cases, Duchenne muscular dystrophy is passed down through the X-chromosome from mother to son. The family member does not have to have the disorder in order to put you at risk-if they are simply carriers, meaning one of their genes has the mutation, you may be at risk. Sometimes the disease may skip a generation, so if you have any family members with the disorder, you may be at an increased risk.
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