Pulmonary function during pregnancy in cystic fibrosis: implications for counseling

The median survival for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) has increased from 1 year in the 1940s to nearly 30 years today, and one third of the CF population is over the age of 16 years. As women with CF attain adulthood they are necessarily confronted with issues related to their reproductive potential. In the past, pregnancy in these woman has been considered risky. Recent data suggest that pregnancy may be a viable option for patients with mild disease. The purpose of a study from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation National Patient Registry is to identify specific indices for quantitating risks related to pregnancy for women with CF so that their physicians, with these data in hand, will be better able to counsel them.