Prenatal Testing
THE BABBLE TAKE
Mothers are recommended prenatal testing if their babies are considered at risk for certain chromosomal abnormalities, metabolic or hereditary disorders. The two types of prenatal testing — amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling — both carry some risk of miscarriage and complications; the decision whether or not to test can be a dilemma in itself. Knowing that your baby will have a disorder can help you prepare, medically and psychologically, and some disorders can be treated in the womb. Yet a positive test result presents another ethical nightmare; if a disorder is detected early enough you can have an abortion. One study shows that eighty-six percent of mothers whose babies were diagnosed with Down’s-like abnormalities chose to abort. The development of pre-implantation genetic diagnosis, eliminates the abortion-conundrum: At-risk parents conceiving via IVF can test embryos before implantation to ensure that only healthy ones end up in the womb. This raises the specter of eugenics and “designer babies.” Where do we draw the line? The leap from amniocentesis to eugenics may seem like a stretch, but one article in Wired argues that, whatever your opinion may be, eugenics are already here. The real question is; how do we choose to use the science?
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Plus Size Pregnancy
"An amniocentesis uses a hollow needle to remove amniotic fluid from around the baby. This fluid is then cultured, the chromosomes mapped ('karyotyping'), and the fluid tested for various diseases and problems. […] Amniocentesis to diagnose birth defects is usually done between the 14th and 20th weeks of pregnancy, most commonly at weeks 15-16. Amnios can also occur in late pregnancy to test the maturity of the baby's lungs if early delivery is being considered for some medical reason. Occasionally, amniocentesis is used for other reasons as well." ...read the full article
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BabyCenter ®
"Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test that detects chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome. This is done by analyzing the genetic makeup of cells taken from tiny fingerlike projections on the placenta called the chorionic villi. Its main advantage over amniocentesis is that you can have it done earlier." ...read the full article
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Baylor College of Medicine
"There are two methods for obtaining chorionic villi. For many women, either method can be safely performed. First, an ultrasound evaluation is performed to locate the developing placenta and to date the pregnancy. Often, the placental location determines which method of CVS is more appropriate. There are certain other obstetrical considerations which may make one method preferable, including uterine anatomy and vaginal infections." ...read the full article
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The Science Creative Quarterly
"Since the announcement that the entire human DNA genome had been sequenced […] newspapers around the world have been rife with proclamations describing how this information is being used for the prevention and treatment of genetic disorders. Among the most promising and controversial claims is the ability of genetic technology to screen in vitro conceived embryos for the presence or absence of certain genes before implantation into the mother." ...read the full article
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Wired
"Artificial chromosomes and in vitro screening are giving new life to the eugenics debate. The question is not whether we want to engineer embryos but how far it should go. […] This is not an academic question. The technology to create wholesale alterations in the genome, and to take charge of human evolution, is already in development."...read full article
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