Ethics at the Beginning of Life: Prenatal Genetic Testing

If a mother chooses to have tests done, she has many different routes such as an amniocentesis, blood work, or chorionic villus sampling. All of these tests are done to provide more information on the growing fetus. In Marilynn Marchione’s (2014) article, “Prenatal Genetic Testing Helps Pregnant Women Detect Birth Defects”, she interviews Dr. Ronald Wapner, a productive genetics chief at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. Dr. Wapner explains that with the use of prenatal genetic testing, doctors are able to give countless amounts of expecting mothers information about what can cause disabilities such as down syndrome, or severe autism. Doctors can also explain what the prognosis is, and what special care a child may need. He also goes into detail about how many mothers who are 35 years and older are at high risk of having a child with a disability. Wapner believes it is needed to have the tests done for their safety and safety of the fetus. Having tests done will better prepare doctors and expecting mothers to what is happening in the womb. Yes, many expecting mothers are offered screenings with an ultrasound, or a blood test that can detect some common abnormal cell counts, such as down syndrome, but these can not be relied upon alone. Visual chromosome exams for example, will show doctors and parents a majority of potential diseases a child may have. Some prefer it, and some do not. It does not give a definite answer, but it will help parents and doctors look out for symptoms and signs of the diseases. Without warning, or knowledge, a parent may not know what is wrong. With these tests, parents can learn to be more aware, and increase their knowledge of

Prenatal testing detects changes in a fetus’ genes or chromosomes before birth. This specific type of testing during pregnancy can help parents make decisions about a pregnancy, but cannot identify all possible disorders or birth defects. (Campbell, Reece, Mitchell). It is one of the most basic genetic tests. Another form of genetic testing done before birth is called preimplantation testing, or preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Its purpose is to detect genetic changes in embryos that were created outside of the body, such as in-vitro fertilization, where eggs are fertilized outside of the body. In this case, cells are taken from these embryos and tested for specific genetic changes that are indicative of a genetic disorder. Only

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, “Birth defects affect 1 in 33 babies, about 3 percent of all babies born in the United States each year” (Nierenberg, 2018). Prenatal testing for genetic disorders could appropriately prepare physicians and families. A prenatal test is a test that is done during

Pakenham et al. (2013) Write that genetic tests create controversial and ethical issues, although they give some positive information about genes mutation by testing gene, successful treatment is still limited. Because of this, patients are in a dilemma

According to Business Insider Science Edition, “By taking a look at the DNA of a prospective parent together with that of a potential sperm or egg, they can predict, with what they claim is 99% sensitivity, the risk of having a baby with a rare genetic disease.” (Lewis, 2015) With this information parents can then go to make the proper decision on whether or not they are prepared to handle a child with such diseases, or if they should even have a child in the first place. Another quote from the article that shows how gene testing parents is helpful for the children is as following ,”Now, the company has developed a test that it claims can detect about 500 genetic disorders caused by tweaks in a single gene, such as cystic fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, and Bloom syndrome.”(Lewis,

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (or PGD) is a testing procedure used when either parent has been diagnosed with a genetic abnormality. Testing is performed on the embryos to determine if they are carriers of the genetic abnormality before implantation.

With the advances made in genetic testing and the lowering cost of testing, conversations surrounding the ethical considerations of genetic screening in newborns as well as adults is becoming more and more commonplace. One such commentary is made by Pollack (2010) in his article on genetic screening in newborns, who cautions against both the monetary and emotional cost of genetic screening. The following paragraphs will offer a summary of Pollack’s (2010) article, as well as a critique of the article in which this author will agree that genetic testing comes at potentially great cost and should be carefully considered.

With the recent advancements in genetic technology, it is now possible for us to recognize and diagnose defects during the pregnancy stage of development. The Genetic Interest Group (2004) says, "For parents at risk of having a child with a genetic disorder, testing of embryos prior to implantation or during pregnancy is an important option." There are certain individuals who reject the idea of prenatal genetic testing simply because they are against the action of abortion; however, performing genetic testing during the pregnancy stage is still a decision to be made by the mother. (Gillot, 2001). In speaking of genetic screening for cystic fibrosis, Murray and Cuckle (1999) boldly state that, "The aim of genetic screening for CF is to reduce the birth prevalence of the disorder. This is primarily achieved by identifying carrier couples that can have prenatal diagnosis and selective termination of pregnancy." Although there are many implications for prenatal genetic testing, viewing this from a utilitarian perspective we can see that genetic testing with the aim of selectively terminating fetuses with disabling but otherwise manageable or curable diseases is unethical. Furthermore, selective termination from a

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

Prenatal testing is a test used to recognize changes in a baby’s genes before birth. If it is detected that a baby will have an increased risk for a genetic or chromosomal disorder this test will be

Many things are changing at an extremely rapid rate in our society. The new advances in the areas of science and biotechnology are raising many ethical and moral dilemmas for everyone. No one will be left unaffected. Everyone will have to make a decision and take a stand on these issues. I will discuss advancements of genetic screening and testing. The first step to any ethical problem is to understand the topic. It is difficult to formulate accurate ideas without knowledge about the topic, so first I will provide a little background information on genetic screening. I will then point out some of the areas of controversy associated with genetic screening, and finally I will discuss my view on the topic.

With the advent of genetic testing many disease conditions can be predicted and in case of prenatal genetic testing the parents are provided with information about the potential occurrence of a particular disease condition to provide them an opportunity to make an informed decision to continue with pregnancy or not. This will save a lot of families who are not financially sound from the possible economic burden. In case of genetic testing post birth, it allows the person to be more cautious and help make better decisions such as family planning etc. However with the

PGD can test for more than 100 different genetic conditions. Some of the conditions tested for are life threatening or will adversely affect the way the individual and its parents will live, so therefore a ‘healthy’ (free of the disorder tested for) baby can be selected and implanted.

Prenatal testing provides many advantages to women and their babies.  One major advantage is the ability to detect a vast variety of diseases and disorders before the baby is even born.  According to Prenatal Screening and Its Impact on Persons with Disabilities, “The most frequently given reason is that [doctors] are trying to ‘prevent’ or ameliorate medical or disabling conditions that are genetically based” (Kaplan par.4).  By having these advanced tests, it allows doctors to research and garner information on how to prevent a possible disorder or disease.  As reported by LiveScience, the tests can detect genetic disorders and birth defects such as down syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell anemia, or cystic fibrosis (Nierneberg par.2).  These tests give the parents an advanced notice on some issues they could possibly deal with now or at a later time.  The tests can also determine the sex of the baby which is always thrilling for the parents-to-be.  Another advantage of prenatal testing is that some

Genetic testing is a major ethical dilemma, prohibiting medical advances that genetic testing can provide for up and coming eras. Genetic testing is a complex way for comparison between normal and mutated genes. Scientists search for specific mutations in genes, and once discovered, doctors become capable of revealing inherited gene vulnerability. Prenatal genetic testing is objectively the most significant use for genetic research. "The development of new genetic tests has surpassed the development of improved treatments. Prenatal testing today is used to identify, and sometimes to avoid, the birth of a baby with a birth defect" (Kenen). The situation is both ethically and morally controversial. Parents now have the choice past era’s did not, knowing prior to delivery, if the child has birth defects and in some cases given the opportunity for an abortion. This advancement will aid Generation Z in preparedness in parenting. Upcoming parents will know if the child will be born with Down syndrome, autism, and countless other conditions. Potentially parents will face the ethical and moral decision of having a child with a disability or aborting the child. Although testing may seem beneficial, it carries significant moral complications prior generations never had to acknowledge. Prenatal genetic testing is not the only use though, as "some tests are used to clarify diagnoses in patients already showing symptoms while others are predicting, helping to identify people at future