Genetic Screening Essay
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Genetic screening, also known as preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), is a newly emerging
technology that has brought with it much controversy. PGD involves the in vitro fertilization of an
embryo. “The embryos are allowed to develop to a 6 to 10 cell stage, at which point one of the
embryonic cells is removed from each embryo and the cellular DNA is analyzed for chromosomal
abnormalities or genetic mutations” (Botkin, 1998). In doing this, it can be determined which
embryos will be most likely to implant and germinate successfully in the uterus. PGD is a
complicated, technologically sophisticated process. It is a union of in vetro fertilization
technology and molecular biology (Botkin, 1998). Though it has numerous positive attributes,
there are equally as many negative ones. In fact, this issue is one that has recently become the
subject of many heated debates. Proponents for the use of PGD assert that this test allows for
parents with fertility problems to maximize their opportunity for conception and birth. Their
adversaries argue that this process is morally questionable, and though it is seen as safe alternative
to abortion couples can experience the same psychological effects as if they were dealing with an
actual abortion (Botkin, 1998). Obviously, this is an issue that does not have one distinct answer.
Each opposing side has raised some poignant arguments.
Those who are in favor of PGD generally use the arguments that it allows for the
transmission of human genetic diseases to be reduced (McClure and Tasca, 1998). Before the
usage of PGD the only other way to determine the existence of genetic diseases was by the use of
prenatal diagnosis in the form of amniocentesis or chronic villus sampling (CVS). Currently, CVS
can only be performed in the ninth to eleventh week of pregnancy, and amniocentesis can be
performed in fifteenth to eighteenth week (McClure and Tasca, 1998). At this point, the fetus is
developing within the uterus. Discovery of any abnormalities would pose the parents of the fetus
with a difficult decision. They either continue a pregnancy that will result in a genetically defected
child or abort the fetus. This is where PGD allows for what some would say an easier option.
Because PGD is a pre- pregnancy test, abnormalities can be detected prior to the embryo ever
being inserted into the mother. Currently, there are several diseases that PGD can detect such as
Cystic Fibrosis, Tay-Sachs disease, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Fragile X Syndrome, and
Down Syndrome (McClure and Tasca, 1998). These are only a few of the diseases that can be
detected but as the knowledge concerning human DNA increases there will be more detectable
diseases. In addition to disease detection, PGD can also detect the gender of an embryo which
can enable the determination of the existence of sex-linked disease or a sex chromosome
imbalance (McClure and Tasca, 1998). Another of PGD’s benefits is its ability to assist women
over the age of thirty-five to successfully conceive. From this age group 50 percent of the
embryos are chromosomally abnormal (McClure and Tasca, 1998). For these women, PGD
drastically increases the odds for a successful pregnancy while the odds for miscarriage are
reduced (McClure and Tasca, 1998). PGD also has promising outlook in cancer research. In the
same manner that PGD detects single gene defects in embryo tests, it could do the same for
polygenic diseases such as cancer (Yates, 1996). Experiments with genetic screening have been
done concerning Tay-Sachs disease .The outcome of this research indicated that PGD has the
potential to be extremely beneficial. Tay-Sachs disease affects 1 in 3600 Ashkensasi Jews, couples
who were at risk for transmission of this disease to their offspring were genetically screened (
Robbers, 1990) . As a result of the screening, the number of children who were born with
Tay-Sachs disease dropped from 50 in 100 in 1970 to 13 in 100 in 1980 ( Roberts, 1990). Due to
the positive results from genetic screening, it is becoming somewhat more popular and accepted.
In a survey done by Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, a group of people were surveyed to
determine their likelihood to undergo genetic screening given their family history concerning
colon cancer (Henderson, 1999). Those who had a significant family history of colon cancer as
well as those who did not were eager to undergo gene testing (Henderson, 1999). At this point,
genetic screening has begun with a good track record. Most of those who have used it or heard
about it are positive about its real or anticipated results. PGD seems to be a promising medical
procedure, but as always with new things there are doubters and skeptics.
One of the many negative statements that the adversaries of PGD use is that it may cause
women the same psychological effects as she would experience with an abortion. The embryos
that are found to have abnormalities are usually destroyed just...
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