Family planning and cystic fibrosis
Our case studies and expert advice will help you make informed decisions about starting a family, so that you can feel confident that you are making the right decisions for your health and your family.
If you have cystic fibrosis (CF), or have a partner with CF, and are thinking about having children, you might be grappling with some of the many issues covered here. We’d love to give you a factsheet with all the answers, nice and simple: job done. However, many of these important questions need tailored answers and will be very personal to you. Our booklet contains information to support you in thinking through the issues in relation to you, your health, your life, your hopes and fears.
Download our starting a family booklet
Our resources are free to download and order, but we would be very grateful if you would consider making a donation to help us continue our important work.
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Our starting a family pack
In our starting a family booklet, you'll find a wide range of information, including:
- Genetics, and finding out whether your baby would have cystic fibrosis
- Fertility issues in men and women
- IVF and other fertility treatments
- Adoption and surrogacy
- The impact of pregnancy on women with cystic fibrosis
- Breastfeeding with cystic fibrosis
- Being a parent with cystic fibrosis
- Pregnancy and transplant
In developing this resource, we have spoken with and listened to men and women with CF and their partners. Their stories are told alongside the facts to help put it all in context. You might find it helpful, for example, to hear from a mum with CF who has twins, or to read about what fertility treatment was like for one dad. The photographs in the booklet are all of real people who are sharing their stories with you. They have done this because they, and we, feel that sharing these stories alongside clinical information will help people with CF and their partners make important life decisions that are right for them.
CF nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, social workers and dietitians have worked with us to ensure the information provided is accurate and up to date.
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Need more support?
If you are thinking about starting a family, your specialist CF team are best placed to offer you advice. If you'd like further information from us, or just to talk about your concerns, please contact our helpline who will be happy to talk with you via telephone or email.
If you need more information, or want to share tips, support and advice, check out our Forum. You will need to sign up to access the Forum.
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Award-winning resources
Our starting a family booklet was awarded first prize in the decision making category at the 2017 British Medical Association Patient Information Awards.
The reviewer said that the booklet was “an excellent resource, which gives many viewpoints from [people with] cystic fibrosis... and partners who have made a life-changing decision to have a child. It is clear and easy to understand."
Thank you to the families and professionals who gave their time to help us to create these resources.
Helpline
Contact our wonderful helpline team by telephone or email, Monday to Friday, for answers to your questions.
Factsheets
Want to find out more about cystic fibrosis? We have collaborated with clinical experts to prepare factsheets on many aspects of the condition.
FAQs
Public awareness of cystic fibrosis is low; here's your chance to find out the most commonly asked questions about it.