Eugenics Discussinon, Genetic Testing Essay
Genetic Testing And Individuals With Disabilities
Some individuals within the disabilities community have stated that the use of genetic testing, which results in the abortion of fetuses with certain traits or dispositions, can be interpreted as a form of eugenics. Prenatal screening programs that prevent the occurrence of children being born do exist, as noted earlier in the state of California. "The success of the program is evaluated not in terms of information given to mothers but rather in terms of the number of children with handicaps who were not born. When number of births prevented is the measure of a public health intervention it is hard to say that anything other than negative eugenics fuels support for such programs" (Duster).
Whether or not professionals within our society believe that we are moving away from the ideas of the early 20th century of "purifying our society," genetic testing and information is still being utilized for similar eugenics purposes today. We could easily move further away from this idea by providing more information about individuals with disabilities to people within our community, especially prospective parents. Potential parents need more information on raising a child with a disability before they can make an informed decision about genetic testing and diagnosis. Also, genetic professionals must think about their own feelings and points of view on individuals with disabilities if they plan on assisting couples along the way.
Genetic testing is not always the case of why people abort the fetus, they have a choice also; in many cases, the prognosis of a disability would not affect their decision one way or another. I believe that if an individual truly feels that they cannot handle the special needs of a child with or without disabilities, then it should be their choice to cease the pregnancy. Many people perceive bearing a child with a disability as a frightful situation, although the truth is that no one, other than the experienced, knows what it is like to bear a child with a disability. Some people that I have spoken with say that it was the most enriching experience of their life, and that they would never change any of their choices concerning the birth of their child with a disability.
It may be a difficult situation for a parent to give birth to a child with a genetic...