Kallmann's syndrome is known as a congenital condition, meaning it has been present since birth.

Some more come congenital conditions are better understood than Kallmann's. With some conditions such as cystic fibrosis doctors can predict the likely outcome of a child being born with the condition. However with Kallmann's this is not always possible as the methods by which it can be inherited are not fully understood.

There are two main forms of Kallmann's syndrome, one form which is inherited and the second which occurs sporadically or at random. If your family has a history of Kallmann's syndrome going back several generations, then you almost certainly have inherited the disease. In the answer to Question 16 you will see that this first form of Kallmann's syndrome is almost always inherited from the mother.

There is a limited amount of research going into the genetic causes of Kallmann's and HH. At present about 80% of cases of Kallmann's and 90% of HH cases arise from an unknown genetic origin. This does not mean that they can not be inherited, it just means doctors will have difficulty in giving a clear idea of the risk of inheritance.