Topic: Designer Babies
Name: So Ka Wing, Sheryl (s136882)
Imagine that you were couples, would you want to design your baby in a healthy and custom-made way? These days, Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) has been used since 1990s. In fact, everyone wants their children be healthy and perfect. The advanced genetic modification technology helps them a lot. The following will discuss what designer babies are, the processes, and the effects of PGD.
First of all, the technology is useful for screening and selecting what genes that couples want. This technology was used in screening disease as well as creating savior siblings, or genetic matches for a sick sibling in need of a transplant. PGD was not only used to screen for disease like cancer, mental retardation and blindness, but currently also to choose traits like gender, hair and skin color, intelligent level, and even personality. (Molly, n.d.). Spending money on the technology, their babies can be modified and born in their desired ways. …show more content…
Firstly, creating an embryo with in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Secondly, removing a single cell from that embryo within the first five days of creation. Thirdly, testing the cell genetically. Finally, deciding whether to discard the embryo or implant it in the mother’s womb. (Weebly, 2000) The process is safe, however, only the U.S. allows PGD. In a survey, 75% of respondents support using PGD to select against mental retardation in an embryo, while only 10% though the process was acceptable to test for potential athletic ability. (New York University School of Medicine, 2002). That’s why, the technology is outlawed in many places like the United Kingdom, India, and China. (Molly, 2005) Moreover, whether these designer babies are healthy are unpredictable since the technology have developed in recent 10 more