Definition of Achondroplasia:
Achondroplasia is a disorder of bone growth that causes the most common type of growth hormone deficiency.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors:
Achondroplasia is one of a group of disorders called chondrodystrophies or osteochondrodysplasias.
Achondroplasia may be inherited as an autosomal dominant trait, which means that if a child gets the defective gene from one parent, the child will have the disorder. If one parent has achondroplasia, the infant has a 50% chance of inheriting the disorder. If both parents have the condition, the infant's chances of being affected increase to 75%.
However, most cases appear as spontaneous mutations. This means that two parents without achondroplasia may give birth to a baby with the condition.
