Cystic fibrosis testing in congenital absence of the vas deferens
Two in three men who were born without the vas deferens being a carrier of the genes for Cystic Fibrosis (CF), a congenital illness leading to severe respiratory problems in infants. This means that although the man himself does not have CF there is a risk of his children having the disease but only if his partner is also a carrier. Approximately 1 in 25 of the population in the UK are carriers for CF. If the man has congenital absence of the vas deferens, we test both male and female partner for CF. If the husband is a carrier of CF and his wife's test is negative, then the risk of their baby developing CF is extremely low. Specialist genetic counselling is recommended and this can be arranged by the clinic. 
