Prenatal Testing Benefits

When parents know the fetus is “special”, they may be chosen to terminate the pregnancy. Thus, in general prenatal screening helps to detect congenital disabilities but is also thought to be the 'remedy' selective abortion (Seller, 1976).

The advancement of medical technology has made it possible to detect medical abnormalities while a child is still a fetus and can create difficult choices for parents to make if severe anomalies are discovered. There are many theories regarding the moral status of the fetus that can be applied when deciding how to proceed if these abnormalities are detected. In the fetal abnormality case study, Jessica, Marco, Maria, and Dr. Wilson each have varying opinions on what course of action to take based on these different theories of moral status.

Cesarean birth can be lifesaving for the fetus, the mother, or both in certain cases. However, the rapid increase in cesarean birth rates from 1996 through 2011 without clear evidence of concomitant decreases in maternal or neonatal morbidity or mortality raises significant concern that cesarean delivery is overused (Caughey,

Modern day technology has taken the “surprise” out of pregnancy for a large number of parents if they choose to utilize it. An option parents might explore is having a prenatal assessment to determine if there are any identifiable genetic abnormalities in the unborn child. There are risks associated with certain procedures such as false positive results, procedure induced miscarriages or possible fetal limb abnormalities.

Bioethical issues include life-prolonging treatments, organ transplantation, medical physician-assisted suicide, abortion, new reproductive technologies, and recent advances in genetics diagnosis and therapy. Such issues often prove to be controversial and can leave us questioning a lot. New medical treatments and technologies often do not come with sufficient precedents to guide our moral reasoning where the life of a woman is in danger. Illegal abortions are common worldwide and carry a high risk of complications, including severe bleeding, infertility, or death often occur. One of the most common reasons for abortions at the latter stage of pregnancy is detection that the fetus has a serious genetic defect. With currently approved technology, these procedures can only be done later in pregnancy. Another common reason is that the woman is young or in denial about her pregnancy, and does not seek an abortion until she is unable to hide it.

Prenatal testing is used to help understand the health and state of an unborn child concerning any birth defects or any other health concerns to help families prepare for the child before it is born. Many physicians and families use prenatal testing in order to help determine whether or not a mother will want to continue with a pregnancy if there is “fetal impairment (that) is detected” (1650). This would then allow for the mother to make a selective abortion. While some information is helpful concerning the health state of the unborn child, there needs to be a distinction between acute injury and chronic disability. However, Asch reiterates that the terms “such as ‘heath,’ ‘normality,’ and ‘disability,’ are not clear” terms and that they vary

i. Amniocentesis is one type of prenatal testing that can be used. The doctor takes a sample of amniotic fluid from the mother and tests the fluid for a mutation in FMR1.

Presumably clinicians miss out on these tests because they do not wish to recommend a termination to someone who has tried so hard to become pregnant and has had so much difficulty. However, when these tests are advisable but are not performed, and a child is born with a serious birth defect as a result, the parents may be able to make a medical negligence claim against the practitioner who failed to properly check the health of the baby before it was born.

Amniocentesis is a procedure where a sample of amniotic fluid (liquid that surrounds the fetus) is taken to see if the unborn child is suffering from chromosomal or metabolic disorders. This can be performed between the 12 and 16 weeks of pregnancy.

Response: 1 in 33 children are born with some kind of birth defect. While genetic testing and screening is suggested by doctors to women, it is not required. Studies show that many women are not searching for a defect because they want to abort, but they would rather like to prepare for how there life and child’s life will be with this genetic abnormality (7). Many early pregnancy testing are not harmful to the other or child because they usually involve blood tests or ultrasounds. Mothers begin to be susceptible to risk as they reach the later months of their pregnancy and are involved in the 15th-20th week of pregnancy. Amniocentesis is when a doctor received some of the amniotic fluid around the child. The fluid is sent to a lab so that the cells may grow for testing. This tests for spina bifida and other abnormalities

The day a woman is told that she is pregnant is the day that woman becomes a mom. To most women that title is the best thing that could ever happen to them. Experiencing the joys and fears of a pregnancy isn’t something that can be explained to someone that hasn’t ever been pregnant because there is something so unique and close to the heart that others will not understand. A mothers one and only true prayer for their new bundle of joy is that they are born happy and healthy with ten fingers, ten toes, two eyes, a cute button nose, and a smile to die for. Regrettably some women’s worst fears come true when they go in for an ultrasound of their baby and are told that something could possibly be wrong. What’s next? How do they protect their

Prenatal testing is essential, as our world evolves so do we as humans. We are curious creatures, always searching for more. More knowledge, more acceptance, more money, more glory, more love. Prenatal testing provides us an inside look as to how the fetus is growing, adapting, and manipulating their tiny little underwater world. Testing shows us how genes change sometimes good sometime bad, but all in all testing shouldn’t be looked upon as negative. Would finding out I was pregnant with a child with Down Syndrome change how I loved or cared for my child? Not love, care, possibly, as they may need special treatments and services that an average, normal developed infant

Prior to the birth of the child, an amniocentesis can be performed to determine certain aspects of the baby’s health. A sample of the amniotic fluid is gathered from around the baby. This test is commonly performed so that it can be discovered if the child has any type of disorder or abnormality. It is commonly used to see if the baby will be born with Down syndrome. This way the parents are prepared once the baby is born. A fine needle is inserted to extract the fluid with the use of an ultrasound. The amniocentesis is able to detect several hundred genetic diseases and chromosomal disorders. It can also determine any neural tube defects that may be present. It is not able to specify the severity of any of the illnesses that may show as being present.

Amniocentesis- aspiration of a small amount of amniotic fluid for analysis of possible fetal abnormalities

The next technique routinely performed for prenatal diagnosis is amniocentesis. A long needle is inserted into the mother’s uterus to withdraw a sample of amniotic fluid containing cells shed by the fetus. The cells are cultured and analyzed for chromosome abnormalities. Despite the lengthy time in obtaining results because the cells need to be cultured, this method has become widely accepted as a safe and accurate way to determine genetic disorders.