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Fifty-five individuals at 50% risk of inheriting Huntington disease (HD) were given in-depth structured interviews to survey attitudes toward use of a predictive test and to assess the possible impact of such a test on the number of gene carriers born. Three-quarters of the sample said they would take predictive test. Given a positive predictive or prenatal test, the number of individuals choosing to have children is reduced from 80% of the total sample to 42%, or by almost one-half. The large proportion of at risk individuals who say they would use a predictive test underscores the importance of developing guidelines for its administration prior to implementation.

Huntington's Disease (HD), a mid-life onset inherited neurological disorder, can have a profound social and psychological impact on affected individuals and relatives. This paper discusses the attitudes of 45 individuals at risk for inheriting HD toward marriage and childbearing. Social and demographic variables influencing these attitudes were also examined. Subjects who had graduated from college were found to be more likely to be deterred from having children than those with less education. Current childbearing status was also found to influence attitudes toward hypothetical situations dealing with having children. Knowledge of the factors influencing attitudes in these areas can aid health professionals involved in genetic counseling for Huntington's Disease and other inherited mid-life onset disorders.