Research was conducted with women who had experience of Duchenne Muscu
lar Dystrophy (Duchenne) in the family. Intensive, qualitative intervi
ews were conducted with a two-generational sample of women. This paper
concentrates on the reported experiences of women who became pregnant
while being aware of medically defined genetic carrier risk. Three ty
pes of reproductive decision-making are identified: risk-taking, risk-
refusing and risk modifying. It is argued that there is no simple rela
tionship between women's genetic risk and their subsequent reproductiv
e actions. Of more significance is the women's prior biographical expe
rience, their interpretation of the information available to them, the
ir definition of the situation, and their reproductive expectations. G
enetic risk information, transmitted in the genetic counselling discou
rse, does not determine women's actions, which are accounted for in te
rms of an interpretative perspective.