Designer’s Babies, PGD, Bioethics

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD)

Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is a new technology that identifies genetic flaws in embryos, preventing some genetic disorders from being passed down to the kid. The embryos used in this treatment are generated through in vitro fertilization (Dayal and Athanasiadis), a process that involves removing mature eggs from the ovaries and fertilizing them in a laboratory with sperm. This method, like eugenics, tries to improve human population through controlled breeding. PGD does have some drawbacks, but its advantages cannot be overlooked. The routine application of reproductive technologies such as the PGD can cause problems that bear on ethics and patient safety. One such case was witnessed in California when Nadya Suleman, unemployed mother living on food stamps became famous after giving birth to octuplets through in vitro fertilization. Besides the financial stress, this procedure is associated various health risks including miscarriage, premature labor, stillbirth and need for caesarean. Moreover, while the process reduces chances of inheriting genetic disorders, it does not eliminate this risk (Child 258).

Significant Clinical Value of PGD

PGD has found significant clinical value ranging from choosing the sex of children to strengthening desirable genetic triads such as strength, height, and eye color. Designer babies represent a great potential in scientific research and the field of medicine, and thus such practices should not be disbanded. However, the government should regulate embryo manipulation by limiting the number of implantations and prohibiting sex selection for nonmedical purposes. Therefore, surrogate babies should be created purposefully to save those suffering from genetic disorders and other health complications as in the case of Molly Nash, where a genetic match baby was engineered to her daughter.

Works Cited

Child, Anne H. Diagnosis, And Management Of Marfan Syndrome. London, Springer London, 2016.

Dayal, Molina B, and Ioanna Athanasiadis. “Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis: Overview, Indications And Conditions, Process.” Emedicine.Medscape.Com, 2015, http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/273415-overview.