Pre-Implantation Genetic Analysis

o If so, is PGD ethical in all cases? (prevent miscarriages, prevent inheritable genetic diseases, sex selection for social reasons, etc).

Modern technologies are constantly advancing in a multitude of ways to the degree that scientists have gained enough knowledgeable about the human genome to be able to find specific genes during the embryonic stage of reproduction. Scientists have already begun to use this knowledge to allow parents the ability to select the sex of their child and screen for genetic diseases via preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) with in vitro fertilization (IVF). Sex-selection has already created world-wide discussion regarding the ethics of such a situation. However, scientists are now looking toward germline engineering which will essentially allow parents to select and alter genetic traits of their children before implantation of the embryo into

They used the process of PGD to conceive the gender they desired. Straightaway, this was the first time that PGD was used to fulfill the parent’s desire and not a specific medical condition. This family’s decision ended up in Times Magazine’s in 1999. Although they were only know for their choice of gender, that’s when all the controversy began about other traits such as eye color, hair color, and height which is not technically related to the health of the

However, I disagree as using PGD technology to select for certain characteristics such as height or intelligence is certainly a very different moral argument than using the technology to prevent pain, suffering and death amongst young children. The slippery slope objection some have that PGD use will eventually lead to further unmedical genetic selection could be prevented by rigorous ethical

Pre-implantation genetic diagnostic testing is a technique that is used to identify and prevent genetic defects in the embryos of mothers through in vitro fertilization before pregnancy. The term “designer babies” is what is used to describe the result of this procedure. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis can cause new issues to arise through society, morality and even science, thus this procedure should be prevented. As these certain issues of society, morality and science combine together, it can lead a negative ripple effect on humanity.

then the preferred ones are transferred to the uterus. Selecting the gender of your baby via PGD is usually used to balance out families and prevent gender disappointment but, the PGD can socially harm people with the society’s judgement, choosing the gender of your new born baby; society will be crossing nature too far, by choosing your new family member’s gender is not

Note to picture: The process is also cruel to the baby to achieve the “desired” gender, which is totally ethically unacceptable.

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis is a new way to test embryos for predisposed genetic diseases such as Huntington's disease or cystic fibrosis. Although Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis can be extremely expensive, it can eliminate genetic diseases and is a better alternative to amniocentesis. While preimplantation genetic diagnosis is around $50,000, lifelong medical care for a child with cystic fibrosis is over $300,000 and mental toll for you and your child. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is a safe and effective way to implant embryos without genetic disorders and can make it possible for a child to live a healthy life. Hundreds of families each year use PGD to have a successful pregnancy and a healthy child. Amniocentesis is a test

In the case of savior siblings there is an important reason for using genetic screening that does not apply to designer babies– saving a child’s life. Therefore, the slippery slope argument fails to justify a ban on savior siblings because there are important differences between savior siblings and designer babies (Sheldon and Wilkinson, 2004). Nonetheless is important that the practice of PGD is properly regulated so that its abuse can be prevented. In the case of Molly Nash, PGD was ethically acceptable because it was done for the right reasons and had no negative consequences.

The use of preimplantation genetic diagnosis, used during in vitro fertilization, for medical screening and sex pre-selection is ethical so as long as it is done for the child’s best interest and not for superficial desires of the parents. Every year, around 3,945,875 babies are born in the United States (NIH, 2017). Unfortunately, 12.1% of women ages 15-44 and 8% of men ages 25 to 44 struggle with infertility issues (CDC, 2016). It is also challenging for gay and lesbian couples to become parents in which one is biologically related by using their gametes (Wittenstein, 2016). Luckily, there are several medical advancements that help individuals become pregnant. A controversial medical advancement that is commonly used is known as In-Vitro

When researching this particular topic it was difficult to form an educational decision on whether I supported the procedure or not. In certain situations, I do see the medical benefits. However, I do not believe it is ethical for an individual to be able to pick certain physical or intellectual characteristics that he or she prefers. I do support Andrews’s comparison of PGD to buying a car. If the

Critics argue that permitting the creation of savior siblings through PGD is the first step down a slippery slope that ends with frivolous reasons for selecting an embryo over another. The procedure would open the door for parents to decide on specific characteristics of their babies. This is the creation of fully-fledged ‘designer babies’. As in the words of Josephine Quintavalle , “the new technique is a dangerous first step towards allowing parents to use embryo testing to choose other characteristics of the baby, such as eye color and sex”. For this reason, the creation of savior sibling is ethically impermissible since if one supports savior sibling, it is impossible to not support the permissibility of designer babies.

October 2001 - Fertility experts announce they will begin to offer PGD for use in sex selection to clients

Being able to choose the gender of a baby will give the couple more time to prepare for the baby’s arrival because if the gender is known well in advance there's more time to get everything ready. I also believe that it is good for parents to be happy with the child being the gender they desire because the child will more likely fit into the family’s dreams. I don’t see why a couple should be deprived of an option that will increase their happiness and the well-being of their child. PGD can help subside the use of illegal means of gender selection. In some countries selection already happens, usually by selective abortion or abandonment of unwanted babies. This is a terrible waste of life and is very dangerous to the mother. The use of new technologies to allow gender selection at the beginning of pregnancy will hopefully reduce selective

Although PGD is a relatively new procedure, there are several ethical questions surrounding its use. One question is, "Should parents be allowed to choose characteristics for their children that are not related to disorders such as their baby’s eye color, personality, or even the sex of their baby?" [Wekesser,1996]. Until the genes responsible for inherited traits such as the previously mentioned are mapped, this is not an issue. If scientists do not know where the gene is located, they are unable to create a test determining the presence of the gene. However, because we do know how the sex of a child is determined, a specific gender can be screened for. Many believe that this should