Expert: Dana Krempels, Ph.D. - 2/16/2008

Question
QUESTION: i wanted to ask if my boyfriend have blue eyes and his generation all has blue eyes with blonde hair, on the other hand im black with dark brown eye and black,browinsh, redish hair can you please tell me how my baby hair and eyes should come out?

ANSWER: Dear Dana,

If you have no family history of light-colored eyes or light-colored hair, then it is most likely that your baby will express the dominant versions of those traits:  dark eyes and dark hair (though there may be a reddish tinge to the hair, if you express that trait).  If you *do* have any family history of light eyes and hair, then there is a chance that you carry those genes, and the baby could express them.  

The baby would carry genes for light eyes and hair, and if s/he some day had a baby with a light-eyed, light-haired person, there would be about a 50% chance of *that* baby having light eyes and/or hair.

Hope that helps.

Dana

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: YES SOMEBODY IN MY FAMILY DO HAVE LIGHT HAIR AND THEIR FULLY BLACK SO WHAT THE PERCENT OF MY CHILD GETTING THAT HAIR COLOR?

Answer
Dear Dana,

To know the probability that you carry any genes for light-colored hair, I would have to know which family members in you *direct lineage* (i.e., parents, grandparents, etc.) had light hair and/or eyes.

With each generation, there is a 50% chance that one or the other of a pair of genes will be passed on.  If you multiply that by each generation, that probability can become pretty small.  Add to this the fact that both hair and eye color are controlled by more than one gene, and you have a real problem that would take a computer to generate a probability.

Suffice to say that if either of your parents has light hair/eyes, then there is a 50% chance you also carry those genes.  If you do, there is a 50% chance you will pass them on to your child.  The problem is, there's no way to know you carry them in advance.

Hope that helps.

Dana