PRENATAL SCREENING FOR CYSTIC-FIBROSIS - ATTITUDES AND RESPONSES OF PARTICIPANTS

A screening programme to detect cystic fibrosis heterozygotes has been running in the antenatal clinics of a major Edinburgh maternity hospi tal for more than 2 years. A questionnaire was used to assess particip ants' knowledge of the genetics of the disorder and their attitudes to being screened. The respondents were 64 female heterozygotes and 63 o f their non-heterozygous male partners, 101 female controls and 100 ma le controls. Although the two groups of controls received far less dir ect information than the carriers and their partners, all four groups were well informed about the genetics of cystic fibrosis and the signi ficance of being a gene carrier. A majority of each group felt that ad equate information had been given in the information leaflet, that the y understood the purpose of screening and that they were glad to have participated. There was a consensus that CF carrier testing should be routinely offered to pregnant women, and also that it should be availa ble in family planning clinics and GP health centres, but not in schoo ls.