What if you could know your all about your baby's DNA before birth? All without any invasive or risky testing. This incredible procedure was done for the first time with over 90 percent accuracy by researchers at the University of Washington. They took a blood sample from mom and the saliva from dad and put together a near-total genome sequence of the fetus, possibly making thousands of genetic diseases known before baby is born. With more research and cost cutting, this could mean no more need for amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling.
But it also raises a lot of ethical questions. If this becomes an easy test, would this change more parents' decision to have a baby with a potential genetic disease? Would this open the door to genetically modified babies? I'm a bit worried about what this all could mean.
Of course, it really depends on what you believe. But with this DNA construction, the testing could be done at 8 weeks gestation, opposed to 16 weeks when women can get an amnio. Earlier detection, more time to prepare? Or choose another route? It's still not feasible for most though as currently this new procedure is not only extremely expensive -- $50,000 -- but the results take a month to receive. Still, they are in the early stages of development with hopes of a faster turnaround and for a price that most can afford.
If I'm looking on the bright side, perhaps it could help give more insight into genetic diseases and lead to positive outcomes. But what if it enables some to go beyond selectively aborting a fetus because of a genetic defect. What if people want a designer child, say a boy with blond hair, and the testing reveals that it was a girl with brown hair, would this make people abort the fetus in order to try again to create their "perfect" baby. Further down the road, if more medical advancements were made, could this lead to researchers being able to genetically modify fetuses?
There was once a time when the Internet didn't exist. So we can't think something like this couldn't happen. I'm not sure how to feel. Scared. Happy. Concerned.
One of the comments on the CNN article on the topic made me think. "winema" said: "Having a handicap child would probably prevent them from having more children, so we are actually saving lives of the fetus siblings. Also parents who have genetic disorders now are very likely to remain childless, because they afraid that child will inherit their condition, but with this technology we give them hope, so they can try to have a healthy child. So again, we are saving healthy child life by telling parents if he has genetic problem or not."
Isn't our current genetic testing enough? Do we need to know every possibility beforehand? Could we go overboard with the information? What if it says your child may have a heart condition at some point, would that change a parent's mind into not wanting that child? Even if it's something that may not happen? Even if it's something that can be treated?
In our hearts as parents, we know what we can or can't handle. And the decision to have a baby is a big one, whether or not that child is healthy or not. We make our decisions based on that. At least I'd like to think so.
But where is the line drawn? It definitely gives us a lot to think about it. There are more questions than answers.
Is this procedure something to fear or a positive step for potential prevention? Would you want to get this type of testing done during pregnancy?
Image via Spec-ta-cles/Flickr
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Comments 49
How to keep parents from aborting children with the wrong color hair? Easy, don't tell them things like that!
I am personally against abortion, so if I found out my unborn had a disability/defect, I would want to prepare. To know sooner might help make a difference in how I handled the baby once it was born.
Some people might want to abort.
I have gotten my tubes tied, so its a non issue for me. But I can see where giving parents notice, and therefore, options, would be incredibly helpful.
Whether or not you agree with abortion, you DO have to realize that earlier, is better. Before the fetus devolps feelings, and more cognitive ability. So if the test is done that early, they'd know by week 12 what they might want to do.
Lesser of 2 evils IMO.
"Your baby will be born with Downs Syndrome. What option would you like for your fetus? A) Continue with pregnancy. B) Abort fetus or C) Undecided/ Ask again at next appointment"
I am pro-lifechoice, as I call myself (I think that a woman should be able to get an arbortion, but only in extreme circumstances. I am more for non-abortion than abortion.), but this just feels sick. People will be looking for all kinds of reasons why they SHOULD abort the baby, and that's just sickening to me.
Sure, it would probably show downs syndrome. Honestly, if a parent can't handle a special needs child, what right do they have to bring that child into the world,to live out a life of being neglected by parents that were in over their heads?
There are thousands of abortion already performed on the basis of disabilities. This would allow it to happen sooner, more humanley (sp?)
its not like EVERY child born with a disability would have a family waiting to adopt it. They would be given to safe-havens/drop off locations, and left in group homes where the standard of care for a disabled child leaves a LOT to be desired.
Both this post and the linked article stated that this technology could eventually predict the hair or eye color of a child. That, to me, is a "trivial" result - akin to missing a finger or toe. And yes, people would abort for that reason. Just a few weeks ago, we were discussing the morality of aborting girls because they're girls. Like it or not, it is something that must be considered.
My opinion is that something like this is going to be a double-edged sword. Those who are responsible about parenting, able to look critically at their own abilities and acknowledge that they cannot possibly raise a Special Needs Child, will have time to find adoptive parents, if they choose. This will enable other parents to fix problems that can be fixed in utero, or prepare for their own Special Needs child if they choose to keep it. Or, sadly, they may choose to abort.
But, unfortunately, there will be those who wish to use it for so-called "designer babies". There are enough people in this world shallow enough to do just that.
Ponychaser- you are obviously very intelligent, and your opinions well thought out and at least moderately researched.
I still have to disagree though. You said yourself that it COULD EVENTUALLY result in the scenario you describe.
Could. Not will. And eventually, not now.
I see no reason to worry about the "maybe" it will happen, when the benefits of the test outweigh the "maybe" aspect.
Yes, people abort because of gender. Yes, people search for sperm donors, and maybe even husbands based on physical atributes. I, personally, feel like those are scenarios that need to be prevented by medical doctors, law, whatever it takes.
Those are superficial nonsense, that people need to STOP. No doubt.
Like I said before, I am not going to have any more children, so its kind of a moot point for me. I am also personally against abortion. But I have to admit, if I got pregnant anyway, despite a tubal and a vasectomy, and my baby were diagnosed with some costly, life consuming, dibilitating deformity or disease or disability, I would consider an abortion.
Maybe I'm a terrible person, but I know I'm not equipped to handle those things in any way.