Abortion because of genetic disorders

Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) &
Pre-implantation Genetic Haplotyping (PGH)

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Introduction:

PGD and PGH are procedures that can weed out genetically defective human pre-embryos before they have a chance start a pregnancy. The procedure is usually requested by prospective parents who are concerned about passing a serious genetically-based disease or disorder to their child.

Typically:

	One or both partners have been genetically screened previously, and found to be a carrier, or
	One or both partners are from a human population known to have a high incidence of a genetically-based disease or disorder.

If an embryo is found to be genetically defective, it is normally destroyed. This produces a very serious concern for many pro-life supporters who believe that every pre-embryo, embryo and fetus is a human person. Destruction of a pre-embryo is considered a form of murder.

Topics covered in this section:

	Introduction; Sex-linked genetic diseases; Clinics performing PGD
	Current status; Objections; Advantages
	Alternative uses for PGD; PGH; Recent developments

Disclaimer:

This, and similar medical and legal information on our web site, is intended as a general educational aid to the public. If the topics covered are of direct concern to you, we recommend that you consult a qualified healthcare professional who can review your unique situation before reaching a decision.

Books on fetal testing:

These books deal with amniocentesis. However, many of their observations may be equally applicable to PGD.

	Rayna Rapp, "Testing Women, Testing the Fetus: The Social Impact of Amniocentesis in America," (2000). Read reviews or order this book safely from Amazon.com online book store
	Barbara Katz Rothman, "Tentative Pregnancy: How Amniocentesis Changes the Experience of Motherhood," W.W. Norton, (1993) Read reviews or order this book
	Laurie & Keith Wexler, "The ABC's of Prenatal Diagnosis," Genassist, Inc., (1994). Read reviews or order this book