Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

The greatest risk factor for cystic fibrosis is a family history of the disease. If both you and your partner come from families with cystic fibrosis, then each of your children has a one in four chance of having cystic fibrosis.

Your risk is also greater if you're of Northern European ancestry. In that case, you have a one in 29 chance of carrying the gene. Among other ethnic groups in the United States, Hispanics have a one in 46 chance of carrying the gene, blacks have a one in 65 chance and Asian-Americans a one in 90 chance.

DS00287

March 1, 2008

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger