Are you afraid that you will give your child a hereditary disease? Thank to pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), it is possible to prevent this. While DNA tests analyse the structure of the DNA, PGD analyses the structure of the chromosomes. One of the principal uses of PGD today is to prevent disease-causing genes from being transferred from the parents to the baby. Scientists use specialised high-tech machines to test certain embryos, like laboratories used to analyse samples for paternity testing. This new method has generated controversy among people, with some arguing is not a good idea to play God when it comes to conception. Just ask yourself this: Would you be willing to “select” the sex of your next child?
It’s not a matter of whim
Couples opting for PGD do not do so on a whim. Imagine you have a son with a health problem that requires a transplant. It turns out that the only way to get that transplant is through a sibling. PGD becomes the only alternative to give your child a chance to live. Some couples have already done it, and siblings create a stronger bond by discovering each other’s history. In this kind of situation, there is no social prejudice that has any place. Although it is a procedure that is not available to most people, they should not see it as medical malpractice. As time goes by, more and more people will be able to enjoy the benefits of PGD once its cost decreases.
You don’t need to tell anyone
Since PGD is often criticized, it is best to have it done without other family members or friends knowing about it. They will see it as just another pregnancy, while you and your partner know that this growing baby will bless the family by helping to improve the health of his or her brother or sister. If you are part of a religion and feel that they will not endorse it, consider that if God gave man the knowledge to discover these medical procedures, why not take advantage of them? After a few years, it will be an inspiring story you can tell others. The story of the day you and your partner brought a child into the world that saved your brother’s or sister’s life. Few people can enjoy such an event.