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Lookup NU author(s): Dr Kenneth Hodson, Dr Simon Doe, Dr Carlos Echevarria, Dr Stephen Bourke
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND).
© 2025 The Author(s)Women with cystic fibrosis (wwCF) are increasingly undertaking pregnancy. This study assessed the current state of relationships, fertility, pregnancy and parenthood in a total cohort of 217 wwCF. Overall, 64% of wwCF were in long-term heterosexual relationships, 32% were single and 4% were in same-sex relationships; 64 wwCF had 111 children; 97 (87.4%) were conceived naturally and 10 (9%) by assisted reproduction. One woman had two children by surrogacy, one couple adopted a child and six wwCF had a role as a step-parent. Of the 217 wwCF, 31 (14%) died at a mean age of 41.4 years; they had 18 children, and eight of these children (44%) were younger than 18 years old when their mother died. There was a marked increase in pregnancies associated with the introduction of CF modulator medications, from three in 2020 to 16 in 2023. There were 50 pregnancies between 2020 and 2024; 17 (34%) were not planned (five were terminated); and 15 (30%) partners did not have CF genetic tests pre-conception. There were eight miscarriages. Exacerbations of lung disease occurred in 11 (31%) completed pregnancies, gestational diabetes in 12 (34%), one gastrointestinal bleeding, and one pre-eclampsia. Delivery was by caesarean section in 14 pregnancies (40%), and four (11%) births were premature (<37 weeks gestation). Although outcomes are generally good, pre-conception planning is suboptimal, pregnancy is associated with increased complications and parenthood raises complex issues regarding prognosis. CF teams should have close links with maternal medicine services to meet the specific needs of wwCF.
Author(s): Duffy A, Parker S, Williams S, Hodson K, Doe S, Echevarria C, Bourke SJ
Publication type: Article
Publication status: Published
Journal: Clinical Medicine, Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London
Year: 2025
Volume: 25
Issue: 4
Print publication date: 01/07/2025
Online publication date: 12/06/2025
Acceptance date: 06/06/2025
Date deposited: 08/07/2025
ISSN (print): 1470-2118
ISSN (electronic): 1473-4893
Publisher: Elsevier B.V.
URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinme.2025.100340
DOI: 10.1016/j.clinme.2025.100340
Data Access Statement: The data that support the findings in this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request
PubMed id: 40516789
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