Persuasive Essay On Prenatal Genetic Testing

Parents have the right to make decisions on what their family should do or how to prepare for the news that is received through genetic testing. This type of testing can give families the option to be prepared and making financial plans for treatment, get their homes ready, or possibly make the decision of choosing abortion. Prenatal genetic testing can help new parents aware if their child is going to born with a genetic defect or mutation. Tests can check the babies’ overall development and see if the baby is at risk or has developed heart defects, cystic fibrosis, or down syndrome. Also, this testing can show any risks or any unknown effects the mother can develop. New parents should be aware of their child’s health at all times and should …show more content…
New genes are discovered every month showing 200 new inherited traits with two types of testing that can be done. “Screening tests do not diagnose a birth defect; they only determine if a fetus is at high or low risk for a specific condition. Diagnostic tests can diagnose certain fetal conditions with a high degree of accuracy.” (Doeblin). The first type of testing, screening tests, can show cystic fibrosis and modified sequential screening, which is down syndrome, or neural tube. The diagnostic tests can show amniotic fluid, chromosomal or genetic disorders. “Inherited disorders are caused by changes in genes called mutations. Genetic disorders are caused by changes in a person’s genes or chromosomes.” (Stickler). Inherited genes are most likely to happen when both of the parents carry the same gene in order to affect the child, while genetic disorders can lead to a missing or extra chromosome. “Carrier screening is done on parents (or those just thinking about becoming parents) using a blood sample or tissue sample swabbed from inside the cheek. Prenatal genetic screening tests of the pregnant woman’s blood and findings from ultrasound exams can screen the fetus for aneuploidy; defects of the brain and spine called neural tube defects; and some defects of the abdomen, heart, and facial features.” (Golden). Carrier …show more content…
Research has shown that because of the knowledge the parents have for carrying a child with a genetic disorder is raising the rates of abortion. “"In many cases, the genome could reveal information that could predict a tough or unpleasant future for the unborn child, causing the parents to make the most challenging decision. in the sense, the question of abortion comes into play. if the child is predicted to contract an unavoidable and untreatable genetic disease, then the parents could make the decision to abort the child."(Estes). In cases where parents discover their child has a defect that is untreatable, they will take abortion into consideration for what they think is best for them and their unborn child. “Pregnant women should not be making decisions about terminating a pregnancy based on a positive screening result alone without getting an invasive diagnostic test to confirm or rule out a diagnosis” (Nierneberg). The inaccuracy of testing results can lead mothers into getting an abortion when the test says positive doesn’t mean that there definitely is a defect on the child. “You hear this news and you make your decision. But meanwhile you’re still pregnant.” (Biba). An excited new expecting couple had gotten a test done to show that the child was going to be born with down syndrome, immediately the couple new