BRCA1 and BRCA2

BRCA1 and BRCA2 are genes that normally help repair damaged DNA; a pathogenic variant in either gene is associated with a substantially increased lifetime chance of breast, ovarian and some other cancers, and can be inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern, meaning a child of a carrier has roughly an equal chance of inheriting the variant. Testing is usually considered for people with a personal or strong family history of relevant cancers, and is carried out with genetic counselling before and after. For fertility planning, a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 variant can influence decisions about timing of childbearing, fertility preservation (such as egg or embryo freezing before planned risk-reducing surgery or cancer treatment), and whether PGT-M might be considered to reduce the chance of passing on the specific familial variant. These are personal decisions best made with a multidisciplinary team including a genetic counsellor, oncologist and fertility specialist, since a BRCA variant affects cancer risk, not fertility itself, and does not mean a person cannot have a healthy pregnancy.

Also known as: BRCA, hereditary breast and ovarian cancer gene, BRCA1, BRCA2

Last reviewed: 9 September 2026. Written by the Antega Editorial Team. General information only — always follow the advice of your own clinic, doctor or pharmacist.