Pros And Cons Of Prenatal Genetic Screening

Genetic Screening Genetic screening is a technology that has become very common and widely used throughout the world. There are many different types of genetic screening with different ethical implications. The most controversial and one of the most used types, is prenatal genetic screening. Prenatal genetic screening is the testing of a fetus to see if there could be any abnormalities. There are different ways that this is performed and different conditions or diseases that can be tested for. There are many potential benefits to certain types of prenatal genetic screening, but at the same time it could have some negative impacts. These negative impacts are mostly due to the termination of pregnancies as a result of the information that the

One major bias there is already evidence of is the shifting of the population of some Asian countries. In the culture of some of these countries, male children are preferred. As prenatal genetic screening for gender has become widely available to many people the result is the abortion of female fetuses. “Since prenatal sex determination became available in the mid-1980s it has made a major contribution to imbalances in the sex ratio seen in many Asian countries. However, it is the combination of sex-selective technology and a small-family culture that has caused the highest sex ratios”(Hesketh). This shifting of the population so that there are more males will have negative impacts on the country and its society. This preference for sons had caused many imbalances. For example in China, 94% of unmarried people between the ages of 28 and 49, are male. In addition to that there is evidence that countries with a higher ratio of men to women often have more violence and higher homicide rates (Hesketh). In the future this could be extended to things other than gender. People could eventually test for indicators of intelligence or other traits and make decisions on which children to keep based on

There are two main types of prenatal testing, genetic screening tests, and genetic diagnostic tests. Screening tests assess the risks of a condition, are offered to all mothers, and may not identify all possible birth defects. An abnormal result in these test is indicative of a possible problem. The diagnostic test helps diagnose the fetus with a specific problem. It is typically given to high risk cases and those with positive screening tests. The screening test are generally noninvasive and much more affordable. Diagnostic tests are often more invasive. Most of these tests did not even become available until the 1970s and 1980s. Even with advancements in these procedures and tests many of these screening test are not entirely conclusive. Although they can tell the parents a lot, the results relating to the conditions that the child might grow up having are only a percentage of likelihood. A positive test only means that the child is likely to have a condition. Even without knowing with absolute certainty some parents choose to terminate the pregnancy. There is no requirement for parents to have a diagnostic test and they are not offered to all mothers because of the risk of complication or miscarriage. This information needs to be clearly explained to all parents going through this