Expert: Dana Krempels, Ph.D. - 7/12/2007

Question
Hi! i am having a baby soon and I was just curious about what he/she will look like!!! I have hazel eyes, my dad has light blue, my mom has light brown. my mom is blonde, and my dad has light brown like me. my husband is blonde with bright green eyes.His dad was a redhead with blue eyes and his mom was a blonde with blue eyes. what do you reckon? also i have 2 grandparents and 2 siblings with red hair does that mean anything?

Answer
Dear Helena,

With such a happy mix of hair and eye color genes, there is not sure way to predict exactly what color your baby's hair and eyes will be.  You could perform a long statistical analysis including the various generations' known phenotypes (physical appearance) and likely genotypes (the genes that made them look the way they do), but still not get it right.  :)

However, since both you and your husband have light-colored eyes, it is very likely that your baby will, too.  Eye color in humans is controlled by at least five different genes, but the one coding for brown versus blue eyes is the one that decides whether your eyes will be brown or "light."  You and your husband both have blue eyes with overlying carotenoid pigments that make them look green or hazel.

Just how much of those other carotenoid pigments your baby will have (if any) is anyone's guess.  But your baby could have blue, green, or hazel eyes.

Hair color is also not simple.  There are several genes controlling hair color (brown eumelanin versus red phaeomelanin) and amount of pigment deposited in the hair.  Dark pigment is usually dominant to lighter hair, but because you have a blonde parent, you could be carrying recessive light-hair genes that could be passed on to your baby.  Since your husband has blonde hair and you have some red hair heritage, there is a possibility that your baby will have (1) light brown, (2) blonde or (3) reddish hair.

But because there are so many genes controlling *both* traits, there is no simple way to predict what the baby will have. I hope she's beautiful and healthy, whatever her colors!  :)

Take care,

Dana