Carrier testing
As the cause of cystic fibrosis is a defective gene, it is passed down from parents to children. An individual can carry this gene without experiencing any symptoms. If both parents are carriers, the child’s risk of contracting the disease increases substantially. The purpose of carrier testing is to determine whether an individual possesses a default gene. The doctors may extract a blood sample or scrape the inside of the cheek to obtain a sample of cells. If a person has a family member with this disease or a partner who is a carrier, he should undergo the test.
