Amniocentesis Argumentative Essay

Imagine being a contestant on a game show; you’ve made it to the final round and the last obstacle between winning a Ferrari is the option between two doors. One door holds the popular, expensive car; however, behind the other is lion that is extremely hungry. Wouldn’t it be easier if the host had the ability to give you clues as to which door held the lion. This is similar to how amniocentesis works. Amniocentesis is the testing of amniotic fluid to reveal chromosomal abnormalities and lung development in a fetus. Most commonly this test is done on high-risk patients, but it is becoming more common for all mothers-to-be to participate (Harvard Medical Dictionary). Along with its popularity, controversy follows. Many believe that amniocentesis is considered “playing God”, could cause harm to the fetus and/or mother, and is unethical. However, amniocentesis allows the expecting parents to better prepare for their child if they have special needs and consider the quality of life.
Performed before the third trimester, an ultrasonography is done to evaluate the heart’s condition and confirm the length of the pregnancy. A hypodermic needle is then inserted into the uterus, extracting a small amount of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus. The cells contained in the fluid give a genetic map, identifying sex and any abnormalities, including over sixty biochemical disorders (Powledge 7). In 1990, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists released a study showing the mothers’ aftermath risks was well below one percent; the risk to the fetus lower yet, measured at 0.4% (Penso, Sandstorm, M., Garber, Frances, Ladoulis, Marisa, Stryker, and Benacerraf). Therefore, the procedure is virtually risk-free and researchers are working to discover more genetic