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Several ponder ethics of prenatal genetic testing

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Research

More becomes known about human genetics all the time, as scientific advances reveal more and more about the framework of human DNA and makeup. That brings out a lot of controversy over the ethics of prenatal genetic testing, and what it could eventually imply. The majority is concerned of the implication of eventually designing kids, or aborting any fetus that doesn't meet cosmetic needs. Article source - Debate continues concerning ethics of prenatal genetic testing by Newsytype.com.

The 'playing God' controversy will never end

Detecting things such as pre-disposition to depression or homosexuality or even things such as the way the baby looks are far from the implications of prenatal screening, reports the AP. A blog just like that was posted on Medical News Today. This can be a health care news blog several check out. When it comes to testing for genetic markers, there has been significant improvement in the past decade or two. This has been a giant leap into understanding how human genetics work. While still in the uterus, doctors have been able to discover lots of kids. This is why the majority is worried people will start to "play God" to create the child they want.

Will my baby be athletic?

There are a growing number of genetic tests and innovations in genetic testing. For instance, a business based in Richmond, Va., announced earlier this year that it had developed a genetic test to determine for which sports an individual is most genetically suited, according to the Washington Post. The business, American International Biotechnology Services, is currently seeking approval from the FDA to keep selling genetic screening kits akin to other genetic screening kits like the home paternity tests that have been available for a few years. The Food and Drug Administration was not happy about the paternity tests. They were not FDA approved, which made several angry.

Disabilities effortlessly detected with testing

Disabilities, mostly developmental disabilities, can be detected with genetic testing. Reuters explained that a new way of screening for Down Syndrome was discovered just this year by a Cyprus clinic. Genetic markers are compared between the fetus' blood and the mother's blood to see if there is a disability in the fetus. It is less invasive than typical forms of detecting Down Syndrome in fetuses, such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, both of which carry a small risk of inducing a miscarriage. Several Down Syndrome kids are being aborted since the number born with the disability is decreasing, reports Fox. Autism and ADHD cannot be detected in the uterus, but they are being worked on. CBS reports that the rate of autism and other developmental disabilities has been increasing. Between 1997 and 2008 it went up 17 percent. An estimated 15 percent of kids have a developmental disability of some sort.

Articles cited

Associated Press

google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g1NcxKZ2gCjVQnevaelRX6waka2Q?docId=e2b1656b48b44239aa1a7364917525ce

Medical News Today

medicalnewstoday.com/articles/228350.php

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-checkup/post/genetic-testing-company-promises-to-prove-sports-testing-accuracy/2011/05/25/AGD38FBH_blog.html

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/03/06/us-downs-test-idUSTRE72523F20110306

Fox

foxnews.com/health/2011/06/13/comfort-or-conflict-earlier-down-syndrome-test/

CBS

cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20065315-10391704.html

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