Important Medical Information for All New or Prospective Parents

Cystic Fibrosis Screening
Beginning in 2003, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the American Academy of Pediatrics is recommending offering cystic fibrosis testing to all pregnant and prospective pregnant women. Newer testing is now able to detect approximately 85% of the carriers of cystic fibrosis. The gene is present in approximately 1 in 40 men and women and requires both parents to carry the gene in order for a child to be affected. Therefore, approximately 1 in 1600 children is affected by cystic fibrosis, a serious and debilitating lung condition. Certain ethnicities have higher carrier rates.

Please read the ACOG bulletin on this subject carefully and let us know if you would like testing. It is recommended that the mother be tested first and, if positive, the father then be tested before genetic counseling is pursued. Since the test detects approximately 85% of the known gene defects for cystic fibrosis, a negative test is not a guarantee that you do not carry the cystic fibrosis gene. It would, however, be exceedingly unlikely that a child would be affected if one parent’s test were negative. Insurance should cover the screening tests. 

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