Where should we draw the line with prenatal choice?

Question

Please answer all of the following. I am writing about this for my dissertation. All other comments are most welcome. Thanks:

Is it acceptable to have a child through IVF where eggs are fertilised to create embryos before implantation into the womb?

Is it acceptable to test embryos for genetic diseases before choosing which to implant through IVF?

Is it acceptable to test embryos to see if they are a compatible donor with an existing sibling requiring a matching donor before choosing which to implant through IVF?

Is it acceptable to test embryos to see if they will be a boy or a girl before choosing which to implant through IVF?

Is it acceptable to test embryos for desirable traits such as athletic ability or hair colour before choosing which to implant through IVF?

If it were possible, would it be acceptable to 'design' a baby by changing part of the genetic code of an embryo before implantation through IVF for health reasons? And for aesthetic reasons such as eye/hair colour?

Answer 1

yes to Qs one and two, no to the rest!

Answer 2

Well in my opinon:
1: Not really, if you arent meant to get pregnant then thats just the way it is. Forcing a pregnancy is not right.

2: No, that is wrong, disabled people have feelings and emotions too.

3: No, thats just so wrong. Babies are not spare parts, they are people.

4:No, this is just as wrong as choosing a child who has no defects.

5: Thats the worst one I've heard so far. I'm sure Hitler would have been impressed though

6:Why would you want to do that? We would have a world of perfect people and that would be no fun at all. In fact it would probably be disasterous!

If your body doesnt want you to have kids, then obviously it has a reason for that, whether you want to accept that or not.

Choosing which babies live and die based on abilities and physical appearance is just wrong on so many levels. Diversity is what makes the human race and everything in the world so interesting.

Answer 3

i believe anything can be acceptable as long as it is for the mother and babies best interests, and by that i mean health not only physically but mentally.

i.e. a person that has had chemo and cannot have children should not be deprived of that, ivf etc

testing for downs, if a parent is not capable of looking after a child with downs i feel it is unfair to bring an unwanted child into the world.

i don't agree with designer babies unless it is to remove a genetic disese that can make the childs life a horrible one. i.e. brittle bones etc.
not to choose eye colour etc, we'll all end up with blue eyed blonde haired beautiful children how dull would that be.
just because we try and design a baby to be something does not mean that they will grow up wanting to be that person, it's all about life expirience and what it throws at you, you can't design a personality.

Answer 4

Q1: Yes. Q2:Yes Q3:Yes. Q4: No Q5: Yes Q6: Yes. Before modern medicine something very similar was happening anyway. Natural selection meant that only the fittest, most resilient individuals survived (fit, good-gened people tend to be better looking and more athletic too). Since we are able to save considerably more lives we have now re-introduced faulty genes into the genepool, which people can now inherit. So, in effect, when you are making these selections you are trying to exclude them from the gene pool or make these faulty genes extinct. Chosing the sex is, however, unacceptable as it wouldn't really happen in nature (roughtly 50-50% male to female, although more females than males - thank god, otherwise we would go extinct) and it is wrong to satisfy the wishes of some biggotted chauvinistic fathers. Since we are able to do this manipulation then why not use it to our advantage by saving another human being or to minimise the effects of a painful and uncomfortable condition?

Answer 5

"Acceptable" is a relative term in and of itself. Different individuals will have different opinions. Then there are the societal modes of acceptance, creating even more layers of what is acceptable.
Ever see the movies "Gattica"? or "Soylent Green"? or "Logan's Run"? or "Demolition Man"? to name a few.
AND over time as societal conditions change, the positions of moral choice and ethics continue to change. It is a continuously moving target- and moving in both directions.
And, as usual, the majority rules like the golden rule: whomever has the gold, makes the rules.

Answer 6

1-yes
2-grey area, judge by previous losses?
3-Not a chance - to know you were only brought into the world to provide a 'spare part' would be as devastating as the phrase, you were an accident!
4-Again No
5-No
6-No

These are my views and i do not judge anyone who views these questions differently to me.

Answer 7

1. Yes (No Hitler Syndrome)
2. Yes (Less Hitler Syndrome)
3. Yes (Minor Hitler Syndrome)
4. No (Some Hitler Syndrome)
5. No (Major Hitler Syndrome)
6. No (Severe Hitler Syndrome)

Answer 8

1 yes
2 yes
3 yes
4 no
5 no
6 no for aesthetic reasons, but yes for health reasons

Answer 9

1 - Yes
2 - Yes
3 - No
4 - No
5 - No
6 - No

I hope this helps you out, but what are your real feelings on the subject

Answer 10

These are all moral issues which you must work out on your own with your partner. We will all have different answers as to what we think is acceptable. As long as you think it's ok then it's ok.