Tom Neupane

Anthropology 1020-004

Ethics Paper: Prenatal testing

Is my baby going to be healthy? this question bothers every pregnant women and they
have decisions to make about their prenatal genetic testing. At the time of early human evolution,
there was no any equipment to know about their new upcoming babies. Every women had to
prey to the god for healthy baby. If in case they got babies with abnormalities, they will blame
that for their fate or the god. As the human population evolve and various invention took place,
people adapted various techniques to check their babies prior to the arrival. The oldest written
record of pregnancy test can be found around 1350 BCE in an ancient Egyptian document. For
the pregnancy test, women had to urinate on wheat and barley seeds. They believe that for male
child, barley will grow, and for female child wheat will grow. If none of them grow then the
women will not bear any child (A Timeline, NIH History). With recent discovery of genetic
testing, most people take that chance to know about their new family member and plane for it.
On the other hand there are few peoples who think that prenatal testing is a promotion to
the abortion. They think that every members in your family ware a gift for god and we need to
accept it. By chance, if they have child with abnormalities, they blame that to their fate. Thus,
pregnancy is a very interesting time for sharing happiness and joy. At the same time, pregnant
women suffer anxiety and worried about their new baby. One in every 33 babies (about 3%)
were born with a birth abnormalities. (Facts, CDC). With some risk of abnormality baby,

prenatal testing is the only way to know about the child. Prenatal testing can provide valuable
information about the new babys health. It also help parents to understand some risk factors and
benefits. Prenatal testing is also a helpful tool to pinpoint health problems which could be very
helpful for both infant and the mother and some risk factors are treatable.
Prenatal testing is not a good idea for everybody. Though, it is the most accurate and
efficient way of planning our future. This prenatal testing could affect a child, family, also entire
community. Parents need to spend more time to the child with abnormalities and rest of the
children might be neglected. Whole community also suffer if community has birth defect
children. They need to focus on their development and might forget about the good children in
the community.
Many couples wishing for healthy children are benefited by prenatal diagnosis. Healthy
child could bring brightness to the family. Parents can spend enough time with a child and can
still do many more things besides babysitting all the time. A child itself benefit if he/she is
healthy and active. They can develop themselves physically and mentally. They learn faster and
can be less burden for the parents to take care of. Happy and healthy babies will help to construct
a positive community.
In the United Sates, prenatal testing and abortion for genetically critical child is common.
If we keep on eliminating pregnancy with genetically impaired child, selective breeding will
occur. Selective breeding could include eradicating other population which are not adaptive to
the environment. About 77% of Americans believe abortion should be available for a fetus with a
severe abnormality (Chan, CBSnews). Also, birth defects are one of the leading causes of infant
death, 1 in every 5 infant with birth defects, (Facts, CDC). All the above given data were
relevant and are source form nations top news site, CBS news, and a top U.S. government

website, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Selective breeding principle could change
the entire population.
From prenatal genetic testing, parents will know whether a feus is at high or low risk.
Prenatal diagnose will also help finding developmental abnormalities within a baby such as limb
disfigurement, heart defects or conditions such as Down syndrome (Benefits, Family Pregnancy
Plan). If something detected, parents will prepare themselves for the future and plan for it.
Prenatal testing also help keeping track of babys development like growth, size, age, heart rate
and many more. The result of prenatal testing will encourages parents to be ready for nurturing
child. Prenatal testing could increase the quality relationship between parents and children. On
the other hand, it is not always true that normal babies will be always healthy and happy.
Humans develop many diseases as they grow. A perfect baby could lose his/her body parts or
even paralyzed for the rest of their life because of some serious accidents in their later life.

In the United States, every 4 minutes, a baby is born with a birth defect. Which means,
nearly 120,000 babies are affected by the birth defects each year and more than 20% of infant
deaths are caused by birth defects (CDC, 2014). The statistics are also from one of the top U.S.
government website, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which educates U.S. citizens
about different diseases, its causes, and possible solutions. Birth defects can affect every part of
the body and also affect childs appearances and it function. Some of the birth defects could be
preventable and treatable if diagnosed on early stage. To diagnose those defects, prenatal testing
are necessary.

Another disadvantages of birth defective child is a poor relationship between parents and
the children. Many believes that the birth of abnormalities babies in the family could bring the
family psychological, emotional, or financial stress. Social discrimination also makes the job
harder for raising kids with abnormalities. Children with birth defects could be burden for the
family and the community. Parents of birth defective child will lose many opportunities,
freedom, and could be isolated within the house taking care of the child. They need to
discontinue their school and quite the job just to take care of the child. Instead of spending
months in hospital for curing disease or fixing some child abnormalities, I would spend that time
teaching kids various things. Also I would take that time to educate myself. I think prenatal
testing is necessary because they can plan and get a chance to know what is coming next. I
would chose the prenatal diagnosis route because I will know what I can get and can plan my
future accordingly.
There are also some risk factors and disadvantages to prenatal genetic testing. Prenatal
testing can also reveal problems that force parent to make difficult choice about the pregnancy.
Parents should be aware of the possibility of the discovery of something wrong during
pregnancy, in the fact that most pregnancies proceed without any problem. Prenatal testing also
may not find every problems. Certain prenatal testing procedure may increase the risk of
pregnancy loss. Also with invasive tests, there is a small risk of injury to the baby.
While there are opponents to this prenatal testing, they dont want to bother with the
genetic testing, rather they just want to welcome the new baby with any circumstances. With
some religious faith, people believe that the children are the gift of the god and we need to accept
what god gave them. There are many parents enjoying their life with abnormalities babies. They

are as happy as other parents with normal babies. Happiness is something we enjoy form our
heart nor from others.
Obviously, there are few benefit of not choosing the prenatal testing. They can save some
money from not doing prenatal testing and could spend that money during delivery. There will
be less anxiety during the pregnancy and can spend all their time for welcoming the new angle in
their home. If we think religiously, the god will be happy for accepting his gift and get more
blessing from the god. Also, saving a life is a biggest humanity in this world. Anyone who tries
to take a chance to save a life is the person with big heart.
Most of the people have misconception and thinks the birth defect child is the most costly
than any other diseases. Infect, there are other chronic diseases more costly as the birth defect
child. In United States, chronic diseases, cancer, stroke, obesity, diabetes, and arthritis, is the top
causes of death and disabilities. In 2012, 117 million people, half of all adults, develop one or
more chronic diseases. In 2010, 7 out of top 10 cause of death is chronic diseases. So, there are
other factors associated with the childs health in their entire life other than birth defects.
(Chronic, CDC)
Evaluating all the pros and cons for prenatal testing, I am still on the side of
prenatal genetic testing. I couldnt find any reasonable points not to have prenatal testing. I
understand that it is very unethical to end someones life because of some abnormalities. And I
do believe in god and the kids are the gift from god and I do believe in reincarnation too. But, I
dont want my life (as parent) full of sufferings. I want to enjoy my life and with my family.
Prenatal testing will enable parents to plan for their future and raise the financial standard of a
family by lowering the educational and health cost for the child.

Humans are the most intelligent animal in this earth. We have ability to detect right or
wrong. If we know that the child is going to have some abnormalities and the child need to
struggle in every breath of their life, then why do we want to welcome to this earth full of mess.
Why do we want to fill their life full of sufferings? I am not saying that abortion is necessary if
there is few abnormalities but prenatal testing could help your make decision about your new
family member. Prevention is better than cure. Support for the prenatal testing and help create
positive community. Healthy kids are the wealth of the family.

Works Cited:
A Timeline of Pregnancy Testing. NIH History. Web November 10, 2014.
Benefits of prenatal genetic testing. Family Pregnancy Plan. Web. November 10, 2014.
Chan, Sue. Most Americans Favor Abortion. CBSnews. Jan 20, 2003. Web. Oct 5, 2014.
Chronic Disease Presentation and Health Promotion. CDC. May 9, 2014. Web. November 10,
2015.
Facts about Birth Defects, CDC. Feb 6, 2014. Web. Oct 4, 2014.