Can individuals with CdLS have children?
Can individuals with CdLS have children?
A small number of women with CdLS have given birth. Often, mothers have only been diagnosed after their child has been diagnosed with CdLS (3,36,41,68). Few men with CdLS have fathered a child, though there is little data about fertility in males with CdLS (69,70 70). Sexual education should be offered to individuals with CdLS and education should be appropriate to the level of understanding. Contraceptive options are the same as for the general population (R20).
For some women with CdLS it may be preferable to control or prevent menstruation. There are several contraceptives that can do this. Hysterectomies are not recommended as a primary method of contraception in CdLS. A hysterectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the womb and means the woman can no longer become pregnant. However, a woman with CdLS may have a hysterectomy to treat unusually heavy periods which do not respond to treatment (R21).
Premenstrual syndrome (physical and emotional symptoms occurring before a period) and menstrual period pain occur in women with CdLS and can be associated with behavioural changes. Treatment options are the same as in the general population. It is not known if women with CdLS undergo menopause.
