Genetic Testing, Part 2: Reading Genes for Disease

One Couple's Decision Against Testing for Cystic Fibrosis

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Tracy Wahl, NPR

Katie Richardson with her husband and two children. Richardson has cystic fibrosis, and is pregnant with her third child.

All Things Considered, March 13, 2004 · Each year, doctors are armed with more genetic tests that can tell which people are vulnerable to what diseases. There are already genetic tests that can spell out an individual's risk of breast cancer, Huntington's disease or cystic fibrosis. But making the decision to learn one's genetic heritage is complex.

In a series of interviews, NPR's Joe Palca talks with people who have faced a decision to find out about their genes. In the series' second installment, Palca talks with Katie and Terry Richardson.

Katie Richardson, a 36-year-old attorney, has cystic fibrosis, and is pregnant with her third child. Her two other children don't have the disease, but do carry the gene that causes the disease.

Richardson's husband Terry has chosen not to find out if he is a carrier, and the couple has also decided against having their unborn child tested for cystic fibrosis. Palca talks with the family about their decisions.

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