Creating Your Child, how far is too far? Options

[Heewee]

This is a topic that we have been recently discussing in my genetics class...


Recent technology has made it possible for those who can afford to do so to genetically select the gender of their baby:

Many parents desperately wish for that little girl (or boy) they always dreamed of. Now that it is scientifically possible to “sort” the X and Y chromosomes in sperm, The Genetics and IVF Institute is giving parents the power to choose the sex of their next baby. An FDA clinical trial of a sperm-sorting technology called MicroSort can determine the sex, with an 88 percent success rate for females, and 73 percent success for males.

The technology was originally created by the Department of Agriculture to use with livestock. According to a Newsweek article, over 1300 couples have used Microsort’s services since it began its clinical trial in 1995. The process can cost at least $2,500 each attempt, but it varies widely depending on what process is used (IVF, IUI) to achieve the pregnancy.

The ability to choose a baby’s gender opens a big can of moral and ethical worms, says the Newsweek article. “If couples can request a baby boy or girl, what’s next on the slippery slope of modern reproductive medicine? Eye color? Height? Intelligence? Could picking one gender over the other become the 21st century’s form of sex discrimination?”

Genetics is such a fast-changing science that the above article, written just under a year ago, is already outdated. Picking eye color, height, inteligence, and many other traits are available to parents to can afford to do so. This includes, the ability to do away with life-threatening diseases or even simple nuisances, such as wearing glasses. However, should people that have will have perfectly fine babies otherwise be allowed to genetically alter the alleles of their future babies just to change the eye color or hair color? My question to you guys is do you think that this is morally right and what are you reasons for or against your argument?

[*disco infiltrator*]

I don't think they know what the gender of the baby will be when they do this in the first place so the whole "you were supposed to be a boy thing" probably wouldn't happen.

And really people, this happens way more than you think...is it not true that in China, since you are only allowed to have a certain number of kids, many girl children are killed so the family is allowed to have a boy to carry on the family name and whatnot?

It's the same thing, only not killing something. I actually think this way is a lot better in that sense. Besides, yes, it could lead to things that would actually be detremental, but that's not what this is. This is only gender. We can't just keep limiting things because POTENTIALLY something bad might happen. Anything bad can happen in any situation. We are furthering our scientific discoveries that could help or not help in the future. We don't know. All we know is that we ARE learning more. It could be bad, but it could also lead to good.