Cystic fibrosis patients having Children

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia—Dr. Bell cares for 210 of the estimated 3,000 CF patients at the Prince Charles Hospital's CF unit in Brisbane, Australia. His patients, ranging in age from 15 to 60. About one in 2,500 babies are born with cystic fibrosis, the most common serious genetic condition in Australian children.

Dr. Bell said although CF was associated with reduced fertility, 13 of the women at the unit had given birth to 15 children, with another on the way. In addition, 10 of the men had fathered 15 children.

"Young women are keen to pursue having a family like their normal peers. They might need more obstetric and gynaecological involvement both prior to conceiving and certainly during the pregnancy. We need to work very closely with our obstetric colleagues."

About 98 per cent of men with cystic fibrosis are infertile and require medical intervention, via a technique known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection, to father a child.

Source: “Cystic Fibrosis Patients having Kids” from National Nine News, Health News, 10 Apr 2005.
Further Info: http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=47961