Just imagine having the ability to choose between a girl or a boy. With today’s science, this is already happening during in vitro fertilization. But what if we look just a step beyond? Can we select a baby that will be stronger, more beautifully featured or less prone to certain diseases? And above all else, is this ethical? These are questions that are beginning to surface as genetic testing moves forward.

Embryonic screening takes place during in vitro fertilization. It has previously been called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). When an egg is fertilized in the lab, it is allowed to grow for a small amount of time. Once it is a few days old, a cell is removed from the embryo for genetic defect testing.

From there, embryos can be chosen for their genetic makeup and implanted in to the woman. For some, this is a dream come true. For instance, couples who both carry the gene for cystic fibrosis can select an embryo that does not contain this trait. There are also other life threatening disorders that can be screened for protecting the future infant from a life of pain and ultimate death.

In a study of about 180 fertility clinics in the United States, 75 percent of them use embryonic screening. Sixty-six of these screenings were performed to rule out chromosomal abnormalities due to a previous family history. Forty two percent of these clinics used it to offer gender selection and twenty four percent looked for genetic matches for siblings in need of a transplant.

This screening process has caused an emotional debate between wide varieties of groups, from political to religious to scientific. Is it ethical to choose an embryo that has a lower potential for developing Alzheimer’s disease late in life? What if you can stop a family’s deadly hereditary cancer right in its tracks? People are talking, and the jury is still out.

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