Genetic testing…The Way of The Future
What are the implications for this new technology
Genetic testing, aka DNA testing, allows doctors to check if there are any possibilities to inherit diseases, and can also be used to determine a persons ancestry or biological relationship between people. It is important to understand the background and implications behind genetic testing as testing may be able to identify the odds of have of having a child with a genetic disease, but it can also result in miscarriage. The test often cannot determine if the child will show symptoms of a disease, how severe the symptoms will be, or whether the disease will progress over time. Another thing to take into consideration is the absence of treatment strategies…
This could be avoided if parents were to take the test which is a safer option. Genetic testing can reassure the parents or help them to prepare if there is a chance of their child inheriting a disease. The disadvantages for genetic testing include the fact that the test cannot stop the disease and it can cause miscarriages in CVS and Foetal Blood Sampling.
Deciding not to have a child can stop the gene and it means that there is no need to pay for tests and treatments but it also means that people will miss out on the chance to be parents. Having a child means that you wouldn’t have to miss out on parenthood, but it also means that your child may grow up with a disease like Thalassemia and you would have to pay for all of the child’s treatments and check-ups.
There is also the option of adopting children. This is a good option as it allows parents to have a child who won’t have a disease, but most people would rather have a child of their own flesh and blood. Finding another partner is an alternative solution. Although this means that your partner may not be affected or a carrier, it also means that you may not end up with the person you love and want to be with. Another option would be to use a sperm or egg donor, however this would mean that the child will only be biologically related to one of the…
