Embryos : Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis?

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a form of genetic testing. It is similar to the screening of abnormal chromosome count only used to test for genetic diseases. The fertility institutes have used this to take gender selection to the next level. Stating that this has a greater than 99,9% success rate.

The medical advances being made feasible by genetic testing are very exciting. It is possible for people with predispositions for genetic defects to know in advance if they will have a healthy child or not. If they find out there is a problem they can choose to terminate the pregnancy or they can prepare in advance for their child's special needs. There is even new technology called Ex Utero genetic testing. This test is performed on eggs fertilized through in vitro fertilization before they are even put in the mother's uterus. Understanding genes in the developing human will help doctors understand the nature of genetic diseases and may lead to countless other medical breakthroughs. Though it is probably a long way off doctors may one day be able to manipulate genes. If this is possible some genetic problems may be cured.

PGD is known as pre-implantation genetic diagnosing. I do not think it is ethical to design and conceive a child that meets specific genetic requirements. I do not feel that this is an ethical reason to conceive a child. Rather, I believe all children should be seen as blessings or gifts, not sacrificial genetic progeny.

PGD can be helpful in determining an unknown genetic history for a child. A surrogate who may not know who the father is can now be tested and gain information that will be helpful to know the risks and genetics. The

Therapeutic genetic manipulation is preformed by doctors to prevent diseases that the baby is carrying. The baby is tested by screening the embryo for any possible unknown diseases. Sometimes the PGD or preimplantation genetic diagnosis technique is used for this ("Biotechnology special focus"). The main diseases PGD is used to test for in babies are Hunntington's disease, Tay-sacks, Alzheimers, Familia cancers, Sickle Cell disease, Hemophilia, Neurofibromatosis, Fanconi's Anemia, Cystic fibrosis and most recently, Down's Syndrome ("Hooray for designer babies", 2002). This technique involves removing the unfertilized egg from the female, mating it with a sperm and then testing it for diseases. If all the diseases are absent, the fertilized egg is planted into the mother's uterus to develop into a baby. Some other unpredictable diseases may also be carried in the baby's chromosomes. Chromosome carrying diseases and disorders include: miscarriage of the baby, physical birth defects or down syndrome (Biotechnology special focus").

United States genetic centers now offer DNA tests for over 30 or 40 of the more commonly inherited disorders. Those including cystic fibrosis, susceptibility to breast cancer, X syndrome, Huntington’s disease, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and many other various disorders (Golden). Also, with recent developments, couples are able to have a pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This procedure allows the testing of genetic disorders before germination. It consists of “petri-dish” testing of sperm and egg cells donated by the soon to be parents. This procedure prevents the idea of abortion, for if genetic problems occur, you are not destroying a fetus, but simple flushing away embryo cells.

One advantage is the ability to reduce the risk for diseases. Through procedures like pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), one can inspect embryos created by in vitro fertilization (IVF) for many genetic conditions (Macklin, 2014, para. 1). While this process can be extremely beneficial ensuring the health of future generations, it can be misused in many ways.

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a procedure used to identify genetic faults in embryos created with In-Vitro Fertilization. In the movie, GATTACA, PGD is the social standard. I disagree with the widespread use of PGD.

Sarah Alsamarai is a university student who conducted a research report on PGD. Although she shared her concerns she was overall for PGD. She said that PGD can be used as an effective tool to prevent the birth of a seriously ill child. Her opinion was that parents should have the right to use existing embryo screening tests to determine all possible characteristics of offspring. Unless a tangible harm to

Moreover, it is not safe for the embryo. The safety concern is what comes after the initial process of in vitro fertilization, the additional processes of either adding a screening step or, going through preimplantation genetic screening (PGS). The process of PGS entails taking one cell from the embryo and observing the chromosomes while the rest of the embryo stays frozen. These screening tests have caused many arguments among scientists due to the fact that some individuals say that there are risk factors

Many doctors, researchers and parents that have genetic disorders are for the use of PGD. Dr Mary Birdsall, of Fertility Associates, works with patients that have had multiple miscarriages, infertility issues, failed IVF, pre diagnosed genetic conditions and parents that cannot get pregnant. "Many people miscarry because they have implanted a chromosomally abnormal baby," Birdsall says. "The idea of going through an IVF cycle and choosing, as far as you can tell, only chromosomally normal embryos to go back into the uterus will increase the chances." Many doctors like Dr Birdsall are for the use of PGD, PGD provides parents the opportunities to increase the chances of getting pregnant by examining the embryos and implanting one that will be

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (commonly known as PDG) is a procedure that is used to identify genetic defects in embryos before they are implanted into a woman’s uterus. PGD can happen in relation with in vitro fertilization (IVF) right after the embryo is created so that it is ensured the right preparation and procedure is done. PGD is used to prevent diseases and disorders being passed on to the child. PGD can test for diseases such as, Cystic Fibrosis, Downs Syndrome and many more. PGD is used so that parents to be can ensure that their child is going to have the best possible life by trying to eliminate or identify life altering diseases. PGD is something that had only recently become a regular occurrence in New Zealand. In New Zealand ethical approval has been received for PGD to take place under specific circumstances. By going through the process of PGD it gives you a sense of how healthy your child is going to be and how significantly your life is going to be altered, for instance if you were to have a child with cystic fibrosis they would need to be monitored evey second of the day because of the risk that their lungs get blocked by mucus build up, compared to a healthy child which would obviously need round the clock care but to a much lower extent because they don’t have such high a risk as a CF child. It is positive for families who have family history of genetic disorders where their child has a high chance of inheriting this; however I don’t think that it

Pre- implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) using In Vitro fertilization is one of the many solutions for families to conceive children who cannot do so naturally. The term “In Vitro” is Latin, meaning “out of the body” ("In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)." Definition). The process begins with a woman taking fertility drugs in order to increase her egg count. The woman plays a physically and emotionally demanding role. She must take powerful hormones for ten days to produce multiple eggs. Every day during in vitro 's early phases, she must give blood to be tested, and then undergoes ultrasound testing so physicians can monitor embryonic development both chemically and visually (International Political Science Review 8.2 (1987)). Afterward, the female’s egg, and the male’s sperm is removed in multiples with the use of a small surgery by the name of follicular aspiration, and placed in a laboratory dish where it is then fertilized for about five to six days. At this point in the process, the newly fertilized embryo is examined to determine whether or not the embryo(s) show(s) any sign of genetic disease or any other flaw that could be potentially passed down from one or both parents. From there, a successfully tested embryo will be placed into the uterus of the female three to five days after, in order to develop naturally. What classifies as a successful embryo would be one that either shows no sign of carrier genes from either parent, or one that shows signs of a recessive carrier

It can also be used to test for Tay-Sachs Disease, Fragile-X Mental Retardation, Cystic Fibrosis, Down Syndrome and Spinal Muscular Atrophy. In the past couples who wanted to have childr en, and were carriers of inherited diseases, worried about the possibility of their children inheriting the disease. Parents will no longer have this worry. In 1989, an English couple became the first to use PGD [Grady,1995]. It was used because they were at risk of passing along a form of severe mental retardation. Because it only affected sons, PGD was used to ensure that the couple had a daughter.

Couples who have a known family genetic disorder understandably consider undertaking the PGD process. They look at PGD as an option to ensure that they produce a healthy offspring or to ensure a better chance of producing a healthy offspring. This is the main reason why there is the need for PGD. People who have tried In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and failed are also likely to try/demand PGD. Other possibe candidates for PGD are people with chromosomal disorders, women age 35 and over and women expericning reoccuring pregnancy lose.