Cystic Fibrosis & Pregnancy: Understanding the Risk to Your Child

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder, which means that both copies of the CFTR gene must be mutated in order for a person to have the disease. If you are pregnant and have CF, the chances of your child inheriting CF depend on the genetic status of your partner:

- If your partner does not have CF and does not carry the CF mutation, the chances of your child having CF are very low, close to 0%.

- If your partner is a carrier of the CF mutation, which means they have one mutated copy of the CFTR gene and one normal copy, the chances of your child inheriting CF are 50%. In this case, each pregnancy has a 50% chance of resulting in a child with CF and a 50% chance of resulting in a child who is a carrier but does not have the disease.

- If your partner has CF, which means they have two mutated copies of the CFTR gene, the chances of your child inheriting CF are 100%. In this case, all children born to a parent with CF will have CF.

It's important to discuss your family's genetic history and the potential risks with a genetic counselor or healthcare professional who specializes in CF.