From the [Newark] Star-Ledger:

The number of babies born with cystic fibrosis declined by half in Massachusetts after genetic screening started to identify carriers of the gene, suggesting similar declines may be happening across the nation, according to a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Genetic screening for CF presents unique ethical questions, particularly since many people with the disease live into adulthood. In the 1960s, life expectancy for people with CF was less than ten years, but advances in treatment have extended the mean life expectancy to 37 years. Prospects for children born today are better still.

Researchers say they cannot definitively explain the decline. Among the possibilities:

• – Couples who learn both carry the CF gene may decide not to have children, may turn to donor sperm or eggs or may use IVF so they can test embryos before implanting them; or
• – Pregnant women who learn they are CF carriers may test the fetus and have abortions if the test is positive.

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has called genetic testing a personal matter and says it is too early to know whether the Massachusetts decline is being duplicated in other parts of the country.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 10th, 2008 at 7:40 am and is filed under NOT2BEMISSED, abortion, assisted reproduction, cystic fibrosis, disabilities, genetics, prenatal diagnosis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post