A child with cystic fibrosis: II. Subsequent family planning decisions, reproduction and use of prenatal diagnosis.
In 1984, we interviewed 105 Belgian families with a Cystic Fibrosis (CF) child in order to assess the impact of the birth of their CF-child on subsequent family planning and to evaluate their attitudes towards prenatal diagnosis. Three years later, in 1987, they received a mailed questionnaire for an updating of the reproduction data and to assess their knowledge and intentions with regard to the new possibilities of DNA diagnosis. The birth of a CF-child had a major impact upon subsequent family planning. This effect was found both in the reproductive plans reported by the parents and in the occurrence of pregnancies during the follow-up interval. This effect can be attributed mostly to the recurrence risk and consists of postponing pregnancies as well as of deciding against further offspring. If the CF-child was the firstborn, the chance of having another child was greater than if there was already a healthy child before the birth of the CF-child. Nevertheless, only 47% of the families in which the CF-child was the firstborn, and who could be followed for an average period of 7 years, had another pregnancy. A large majority of families intended to use prenatal diagnosis should a pregnancy occur. In half of the pregnancies that occurred between 1984 and 1987, a prenatal diagnosis was performed. On the other hand, there is less consensus about pregnancy interruption should prenatal diagnosis reveal an affected fetus.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Evers-Kiebooms
G
G
Center for Human Genetics, K. U. Leuven, Belgium.
Denayer
L
L
Van den Berghe
H
H
D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001722:Birth Order; D002648:Child; D003267:Contraception / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005190:Family; D005193:Family Planning Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005817:Genetic Counseling; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000523:psychology; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012306:Risk; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires