Me. Mennie et al., GENE-THERAPY FOR CYSTIC-FIBROSIS - WILL IT AFFECT THE UPTAKE OF PRENATAL CARRIER SCREENING, Prenatal diagnosis, 14(12), 1994, pp. 1158-1162
We report a study which examined whether the decision of 135 couples t
o accept prenatal cystic fibrosis (CF) carrier screening would be infl
uenced by the advent of gene therapy. A majority (91 couples; 67 per c
ent) felt that gene therapy for CF would not influence their decision
to be screened. Twenty-two couples (16 per cent) stated that they woul
d decline to be screened and an equal number felt ambivalent. Even if
the life expectancy of a CF sufferer were increased by gene therapy to
normal, 78 per cent of couples would still wish to avail themselves o
f prenatal carrier screening. A majority of women who decline screenin
g do so because they are opposed to termination of pregnancy. The avai
lability of gene therapy could increase the proportion of couples who
accept screening.