Carrier detection and genetic counselling in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: a follow-up study.

Assay of serum creatine kinase activity is useful in the detection of carriers of the X-linked gene for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). For genetic counselling this assay has been used in conjunction with pedigree analysis to improve estimates of the risk that a female relative of a DMD patient is a carrier. To measure the impact of the program, follow-up information was obtained from women who had received genetic counselling for DMD. Their responses showed that the risk of producing an affected son had been a major factor in their attitude toward family planning, and their reproductive performance correlated inversely with their genetic risk. The decision by the majority of proven carriers to prevent the birth of further male offspring was reflected in a recent decline in the frequency of a known family history of DMD among newly ascertained cases.