# Pregnancy pre-testing?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pregnancy-pre-testing/129005>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 21, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pregnancy-pre-testing/129005 "2002-09-21T17:23:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ShouldBeWorking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@ShouldBeWorking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShouldBeWorking)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pregnancy-pre-testing/129005/1 "2002-09-21T17:23:30Z")

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Statement: We have a friend who was tested for Cystic Fibrosis before getting pregnant. They found out that both her and her husband are “carriers” of CF, so they have a 50% chance of having a baby with CF.  
Question: What tests can/should be done on a couple who are considering having a baby to determine risk factors for various diseases/birth defects. I’m looking for tests that can be done BEFORE the pregnancy. The prospective mom is 41.

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**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pregnancy-pre-testing/129005/2 "2002-09-21T17:58:42Z")

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IANAMD

IMHO, the problem is there are too many genetically linked diseases to test for everything. If either of the couple _knows_ they have an inheritable condition, the other should consider testing for it as well.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [September 21, 2002, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pregnancy-pre-testing/129005/3 "2002-09-21T18:49:53Z")

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No, they have a 25% chance of having a kid with CF, a 50% chance of having a kid who’s a carrier of CF, and a 25% chance of a kid who’s not carrying the CF gene.

From a parent of a kid with CF,  
QtM