Expert: Libby Bonner - 12/23/2007

Question
my wife and I are using an egg donor who has just admitted that she has an
aunt who has bipolar disorder.  Should we be concerned?  This disorder is
not in my family and the egg donor or her parents do not have it.  Thanks.  

Answer
I would ask more questions.  Only one person amoung cousing, aunts, uncles, grandparents is fairly unusual.

I would want to make absolutely sure there are no others.  It's possible, for instance, that there are "odd" relatives never diagnosed, never treated - but who differ markedly from others in the family: didn't work regulary; dad took care of the kids because mom was 'sick' a lot; suicides.

If the family is very small, as mine is, you will be left w/ some unease - not enough people in the cohort for the disorder to have been expressed.  

Yes, you should be concerned.  But - if the aunt is truly the only one among many many relatives and several generations?  Ask a doc.