Genetic Controversies

Essay on Genetic Controversies

Hypothetically speaking, I am a pregnant woman. I am approached by y doctors to have genetic testing performed on me. I think it is a good idea, so I agree. I take the test, the results come back and I find out that out that the child I am carrying has the gene connected with Sickle Cell Anemia which is a very painful disease that causes severe infections and damage to body organs. It is inherited and it is a life-long condition. I am torn between having the child and putting him or her through a lifelong debilitating sickness or having an abortion. Based on information I would have just obtained from genetic testing I am confused as to what to do. Had I not got the information I would hand just handled the hand I was dealt with. The foreknowledge definitely outs something more in the game.

Some people believe that the Human Genome Project was and is the greatest scientific/medical breakthrough ever. I happened to agree. Genetic testing to identify certain health risk prior to actually having it is major. To know that possibly this is a condition you or your child will have to deal with puts you somewhat in a driver’s position. Knowledge is everything. In doing some reading on genetic testing I found there were pros and cons, as with almost everything in life. I happened to believe that in this situation the good outweighs the bad. Some of the genetic testing available is used for carrier identification, prenatal diagnosis, newborn screening, late-onset disease which includes testing for cancers and heart disease. Genetic testing has some definite benefits. If I and my husband decide to have children and one of us have an inherited sickness, we can possibly find out if the children will inherit