How Can Fanconi Anemia Be Prevented?
You can’t prevent Fanconi anemia (FA) because it’s an inherited disease. If a child gets two copies of the same faulty FA gene, he or she will have the disease. If you’re at high risk for FA and are planning to have children, you may want to consider genetic counseling. A counselor can help you understand your risk of having a child who has FA and help explain the choices that are available to you. If you’re already pregnant, genetic testing can show whether your child has FA. For more information on genetic testing, see “How Is Fanconi Anemia Diagnosed?” In the United States, Ashkenazi Jews (Jews of Eastern European descent) are at higher risk of FA than the general population. For Ashkenazi Jews, it’s recommended that prospective parents get tested for FA-related gene mutations before getting pregnant.
