Arguments Against Prenatal Genetic Testing
The NIPT should not be done on expecting mothers who are considered a high risk or already been tested for Down syndrome because it will present a false positive stating that the baby could have Down syndrome. According to Merryn Ekberg (2007) article, “the greatest benefits gained from prenatal genetic testing are the prevention of the birth of the child with chronic genetic disease and offering prospective parents a degree of liberation from reproductive risks.” (p. 67) The most important benefits of the prenatal genetic testing include: giving the mother the opportunity, or option to have an abortion, if there is any degree of being at risk in reproduction; it prevents the mother from giving birth to a child who is special needs and medically fragile; and it prevents emotional distress and financial struggle of giving birth to a child with genetic issues, or health conditions. It also gives the mother the opportunity to prepare or plan for the future of the child’s needs. There are several risks to having the prenatal genetic testing done which can include: the intervention of private lives, reproductive freedom loss, and discrimination of disability, sexual, racial conditions, and wrongful deaths. “With over 8000 single gene defects that affect at least 1% of the adult population, the demand for prenatal genetic testing is rapidly increasing.” (Ekberg, Merryn (2007), p. 68)…