Pregnancy and cystic fibrosis

The management of a pregnancy in a woman with cystic fibrosis is usually achieved with successful outcomes for mother and child with appropriate multidisciplinary care. The process begins prior to conception and requires frequent monitoring of the mother's respiratory status, level of glycaemic control and obstetric wellbeing. Recent reports have suggested that pregnancy can be managed without a persisting decrement in lung function beyond what may be expected in women with cystic fibrosis who are not pregnant. With the increasingly positive outcomes for people with cystic fibrosis, it is likely that more couples will chose to pursue pregnancy, cognisant of the risks and longer term issues for mother, child and family. This review will address the current issues in the management of pregnancy in women with cystic fibrosis.