Being Young, Female, and BRCA Positive A qualitative study finds that young women with a BRCA gene mutation have concerns about marriage and childbearing.

摘要

In 2006-2007,1 conducted a grounded theory study of young women, ages 18 to 39, who had been tested for a BRCA mutation, the presence of which increases the risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer, or both, at an early age.13 In this article I explore three characteristics of those women who tested positive: whether or not they were married, had children, or had breast cancer. I chose these characteristics because they are important aspects of young women's lives that can be affected by knowledge of genetic risk.