Well, to the extent that it is genetic / inheritable, there's not much you can do about it anyway, exceptm perhaps to avoid marrying someone who is also already bipolar or who has a very strong family history of it. Bipolar Disorder is "genetic" or inheritable, like ordinary Depression, but only to a degree. If anyone in your family has it, your chances of developing it are higher than those of the general population, but not very much higher. The more family members who have it, the higher the risk, but still MOST children won't be affected.