• OI History
• OI Symptoms
• OI Genetics
• OI Characteristics

OI is a genetic disease. The inheritance pattern is usually autosomal dominant. This means an affected person will have OI even though only one faulty gene has been passed along. This faulty gene can come from either parent, and it can affect either sex. Each child of an affected parent will have a 50 percent chance of developing OI.

Occasionally, a person will develop OI even though neither parent carried the faulty gene. This is called a spontaneous mutation. A person who develops OI will have the same chance of passing it on to a child as does someone who inherited the autosomal dominant gene.

It is important for you to understand that nothing you or your spouse did during conception or pregnancy caused this condition in your child. OI has been prevalent for thousands of years. Genetic counseling, which is available at most hospitals, may help you understand

the type of OI your child has. If you are thinking about having more children, you should consider contacting a geneticist who can help determine the probability of recurrence of OI in your family.

Frequency of Osteogenesis Imperfecta !
In the US :
The prevalence of OI is estimated to be 1 per 20,000 live births, but the mild form is under diagnosed, and the actual prevalence may be higher than this. There are approximately fifty thousand or more people in the United States alone who have it Internationally: Prevalence’s appear to be similar worldwide, though an increased rate has been observed in 2 major tribal groups in Zimbabwe.

Race: No differences based on race are reported.
Sex: No differences based on sex are reported.
Age: The age when symptoms (i.e., fractures) begin varies widely.

Patients with mild forms may not have fractures until adulthood, or they may present with fractures in infancy. Patients with severe cases present with fractures in utero.