What would you do if you were the genetic counselor?

Please read the following scenario:

A husband and wife have a child who suffers from cystic fibrosis (CF), an incurable, fatal hereditary disease that results in frequent infections and difficulty breathing. The couple wants to determine their risk of having another child with this disorder. Because CF is a recessive disorder, a child usually must inherit the CF gene from both parents to get the disease. A child with just one CF gene is a carrier: Such a person doesn’t have the disorder but can pass the trait on to the next generation. The DNA test revealed that the mother of the child carried the CF trait; however, her husband did not. The DNA tests showed that he was not the biological father of the child.

The fact significantly decreased the couple’s chance of having another child with CF. But the test has put the counselor in a difficult situation.

What would you do if you were the genetic counselor?
• Should the counselor tell the couple about the nonpaternity findings?
• Should the mother be told privately?
• Should the center contact the biological father of the child and inform him about the risks?

Please present arguments for both sides of the issues.

Please make sure you give a paragraph answer to both parts of the assignment!!!

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