Prevalence of divorce among parents of children with cystic fibrosis and other chronic diseases.

Data on the prevalence of divorce and separation among parents of children 
with cystic fibrosis and other chronic diseases indicate that marital breakdown 
is no more prevalent among these couples than it is in 
a general population. For couples who attended genetic counseling clinics or 
had children with spina bifida or leukemia, the divorce rate is 
lower than the United States national average. For parents of children 
with cystic fibrosis, the divorce rate is the same as the 
national average. The high recurrence risk for cystic fibrosis may deter 
many parents from further reproduction. We speculate that the inability to 
plan more children may be the factor responsible for the higher 
prevalence among these parents compared to those of children with other 
chronic diseases. 