Yes, a baby is born with ginger hair if they inherit two copies of the recessive gene for red hair.
Here's a breakdown of the genetics:
- The Ginger Gene: Red hair is primarily caused by a mutation in the MC1R gene.
- Recessive Inheritance: The gene is recessive. This means a child needs to inherit two copies of the ginger hair gene (one from each parent) to have red hair.
- Possible Scenarios:
- Both Parents Ginger: If both parents have red hair, they will each pass on a ginger gene. The child will definitely be born with red hair.
- One Parent Ginger, One Carrier: If one parent has red hair and the other is a carrier (meaning they have one ginger gene and one non-ginger gene), there's a 50% chance the child will inherit two ginger genes and be born with red hair. There is also a 50% chance they will inherit one ginger gene and one non-ginger gene, making them a carrier, but not ginger.
- Both Parents Carriers: If both parents are carriers, there's a 25% chance the child will be born with red hair, a 50% chance they'll be a carrier, and a 25% chance they won't have the gene at all.
- Neither Parent Ginger or a Carrier: If neither parent has the ginger gene or carries it, the child cannot be born with ginger hair.
In summary, a baby is born with ginger hair only if they inherit the ginger gene from both parents.
