Although this is not a medical question, it is one that a physician doing genetic counseling may be asked. The answer for a particular couple will depend on many things: How much do they want children? How great is their risk of genetic disease? How severe is the disease? What are their feelings about prenatal diagnosis and abortion? The birth of a handicapped child is a strain on any marriage and often contributes to divorce. If there are other potential problems, such as family objections or teenage partners, then the risk of divorce is fairly high.