Ethicist Ainsley Newson, writing in the [UK] Times, reacts to the news of the impending availability of a test that can detect Down syndrome from the blood of a pregnant woman:

Fetal DNA testing can be done ethically, she writes, provided that pregnant women are provided with high-quality information and are made aware that testing is optional. Among other things, women need to know that Down syndrome is “no longer a fatal disease,” and has a wide spectrum of abilities and physical characteristics.

We must also face the inevitable question of whether this testing puts us on a path towards eugenics -– literally meaning ‘well born’.

But this test is no different to any other in pregnancy: no one will force a woman to have it and there is no state-imposed ideal of perfection. Nevertheless, disability rights activists have a point when they argue that it is hard to select against a baby with Down’s without selecting against Down’s as well.

We need to remember that testing in pregnancy can never guarantee a healthy baby. But for many women the ability to exercise a considered choice is important and this must be protected.

Dr Newson lectures in biomedical ethics at the University of Bristol.

(University of Bristol photo)

This entry was posted on Saturday, June 21st, 2008 at 8:46 am and is filed under abortion, ethics, eugenics, prenatal diagnosis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.  Email This Post