Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis

What is GMO? Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) are organisms that have had their genes altered using genetic engineering techniques, ie.The manipulation of their genome or genetic coding using modern technology. Combined with the DNA of the organism is the DNA extracted from a different source resulting in a set of new genes. What The colloquial term designer baby refers to a baby thats genetic makeup is artificially selected by genetic engineering ensure the presence of certain characteristics and absence of others. The technique used is Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). This can either be for cosmetic or health reasons.

When The worlds first designer baby was born in 2000 to a woman in Chicago. She came from a family suffering from an early and deadly form of Alzheimers disease and sought help from the Reproductive Genetics Institute in Chicago. There, they extracted 23 eggs from the woman and tested them for the disease. The 4 eggs that came back negative were then fertilized with her husbands sperm and implanted back inside the mother. How The egg is fertilised outside the mothers womb as it allows genetic engineers to test the egg and sperm for certain genes. Through gene therapy, genes are added or removed from cells of the zygote (fertilised egg) before it undergoes mitosis, then it is implanted in the mothers womb. (Refer to fig. 1) If the therapy is successful, the new genes become part of the cells genome and will give the cell a new or different characteristic.

Why Parents alter the genes of their baby for various reasons. A disease that runs in the family can be prevented if the right egg and sperm are chosen. If the purpose of the child is to help an older sibling (to donate bone marrow for example) then a perfect genetic match can be obtained through genetic engineering. Of course, genetic modification can be used for cosmetic purposes as well (to be born with blue eyes for example). Ethical Issues Even though there are countless benefits regarding designer babies, ethical issues need to be taken into consideration. With the advancing technology theres a great possibility that in the near future, choosing the cosmetic appearance of your child will be a popular and widely accepted thing to do. Parents will decide whether their child will have blue eyes or blonde hair. Since PGD is used to prevent diseases, is it morally wrong to use it for cosmetic purposes? Some say that prevention can be justified, whereas enhancing traits cannot. But this is where it gets tricky as its difficult to make the prevention-enhancement distinction. The definition of disease varies with each individual. Social

constructivists say that diseases are states to which society takes a negative attitude. Cancer fits into this category, but some may also consider homosexuality as a disease. People may want to go through PGD for almost any reason that they feel is a disease that will be passed on genetically. All of sudden, hairy arms will become a disease as well as teen acne and maybe even curly hair. Its very hard to draw a clear line between preventing a disease and enhancing an individuals appearance. Sooner or later, this will become a serious issue. Advantages Hereditary diseases can be prevented and maybe even wiped out. Those who choose to undergo PGD wont pass on inherited diseases to their children. If no diseases are passed on to the next generation, there is a very good chance that the disease will be wiped out. This, of course, would only happen if a sufficient amount of people choose to have designer babies.

 Designer babies can not only be cured of diseases, but they can also be THE cure. Through PGD, genetic engineers can create a baby who is a near perfect tissue match to that of their older sibling. A child is then born to provide an organ or cell transplant to a sibling that is diagnosed with a fatal disease such as cancer. The well-known book and movie My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult tells the story of a girl born to save her older sister whos affected with cancer. There will be no need for Amniocentesis or Chronic Villus Sampling. These are prenatal tests performed on women to look for signs of Downs Syndrome and other diseases. Along with these tests come many risks. With Chronic Villus Sampling, there is a risk of infection and amniotic fluid leakage whilst Amniocentesis can bring on preterm labor and delivery, respiratory distress, postural deformities, fetal trauma and rhesus disease. Both tests have a 1% chance of resulting in a miscarriage.

Disadvantages Artificially selecting your childs appearance may become a common thing to do in the future. In this materialistic world we live in, there is a high chance that PGD for cosmetic purposes will become increasingly popular. The higher the demand for this procedure, the cheaper it will become. Soon, it will become widely accepted and wont be any different to giving your child a haircut. Parents will become pressured into designing their babies and here, a fierce cycle will occur. There are potential psychological effects on a saviour child born not for itself but to save another. The child may question their worth and think that their parents love their older sibling more than them. Although the sick child benefits greatly from Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis, we need to think about the donating child as well. The idea of only being in this world to save someone else is degrading and may lead to depression and anxiety. The child is also entitled to medical emancipation, meaning they can refuse to donate their organs and cells. This will make the situation problematic and no doubt cause a lot of strain on the family.

 There is no guarantee that the chosen traits for the baby will actually show. Its impossible to create a perfect human being and the parents are certain to be disappointed. The child will live their life knowing s/he isnt good enough. Say an intelligence gene was supposedly present in a child, but they grow up to be of only mediocre intelligence. There will always be the pressure of living up to your parents expectations, even though sometimes thats impossible.