Recently tested positive as carrier for CF

I recently was informed by my obgyn that delievered our stillborn son on aug 30th 2009 that I am a positive carrier for Cystic Fibrosis.
Is there anyway to find out if our stillborn son died from this and if this was the case what can be done legally.

[Jordanna Joaquina, MS, CGC]

We are sorry for your loss and hope that you are getting the support you need. A stillborn pregnancy can be caused by many factors, both genetic and non-genetic.

Cystic fibrosis is an autosomal recessive condition, which means that typically two mutations are needed to be affected. Both parents of an affected individual are obligate carriers (they each have only one mutation). Two carriers have a 25% chance with each pregnancy to have an affected child, but typically do not have symptoms themselves. As such, the father of your previous pregnancy could also be tested for CF to see if he is also a carrier.

We recommend that you meet with a perinatologist, a physician who specializes in high risk pregnancies, given your stillbirth. We also recommend that you meet with a genetic counselor. A genetic counselor can review your personal and family history as well as discuss the benefits and limitations of CF genetic testing. You can find a genetic counselor at the National Society of Genetic Counselors website or through companies like mine, AccessDNA.