Should I Be Tested?

The decision to be tested is a personal one. You may wish to be tested if you are concerned that you or your partner might be a carrier of a disease that is on the test panel. Being a carrier is more likely if you have a family member with the disease.

Some people decide to be tested to know their chances for having a child with a disease. For example, among people of Eastern European Jewish heritage, about 1 out of 29 is a carrier of a gene for cystic fibrosis (CF).¹ The CF gene is less common in other racial and ethnic groups.

Carrier tests are expensive. Another factor that may guide the decision to have the tests is whether the cost of the tests is covered by your insurance company.

You may decide to have carrier tests if you are already pregnant and the test results will affect your decision to continue your pregnancy or help you make decisions about caring for your baby.

If you find out you are a carrier of one of these genetic disorders, other members of your family (such as your brothers and sisters) may want to get tested, too.

Why Not Be Tested?

There may be reasons you would choose not to have the carrier tests.

• You are already pregnant and the results will not affect your decision to continue your pregnancy.
• Carrier tests are expensive. You may decide not to have the tests if your insurance does not pay for it.
• The tests are not 100% accurate. There is a small chance that you are a carrier even if the results are normal (false-negative).