Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis

(Designer Babies)

Jose Jimenez, Jonathan Angel,John Espinas, Kait

Stevenson
What is PGD? (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis)

Purpose: Enables people with an inheritable condition to avoid passing it on.

Process:
1. Creating an Embryo with In-vitro fertilization (IVF).
2. Removing a single cell from that embryo within
the first 5 days of creation
3. Genetically testing the cell.
4. The parents decide whether to discard the embryo
or implant it in the mother's womb.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlKCaDfEQnY
Why do people choose to undergo PGD?

heritable genetic disorders

carriers of a chromosomal abnormality

sex-linked recessive genes

advanced maternal age

history of recurrent miscarriages

terminated pregnancies due to genetic condition

Does it work?
In procedure, success rate of sex-
selection is 99.5%

But 7.5% of blastocysts are

inconclusive

In 2010 (the year for which the most

recent data is available) 311 women
received 383 cycles of PGD. This
resulted in 121 live births (live birth
rate of 31.6% per cycle started).
Legality In The U.S.
Considered a legal medical practice

Sex-selection: UN states social uses prohibited

Countries that prohibit: Austria, New Zealand, S. Korea, Switzerland, Vietnam

Legality In Oregon
Legal and highly encouraged

Sex Selection for social reasons is not prohibited, but discouraged.

becoming more accepted but also being questioned...

Susan and Dave
Susan had 5 miscarriages by the age of 27

Tried Clomid and and still resulted in a miscarriages

PGD test showed that out of her 9 eggs, 4 were fertilized and 3 were abnormal
and the last one was fertilized

Susan gave birth to a 8lb 14oz boy

 Benefits (Pros)
1.Reduces the chance for abnormalities (birth defects)and
fetal infections (disease pasted to baby from mom)
originally shown later during the pregnancy if the
screening is not done.

2. This allows the couple to decide whether or not to

continue with the pregnancy.

3. The couple can pursue for biological children that may

not be possible otherwise.

4. PGD helps to reduce expenses due to the medical

complications that may arise out of the birth defects.
 Ethical? (Pros)
Cost- with PGD... about $17,000 - $25,000 in the US but without cost could be
greater

Religious beliefs- Catholic and others are growing to expect PDG

Moral code- Choose to live in a better world with no disease

Societal impact- could help society live without disease vs. having disease and
costing more money

Future implications- Disease free? (maybe)

There are many benefits to PGD( next sides)

Benefits (Pros)
Reduces risk of genetic diseases
Reduces risk of sex linked disorders
Reduces risk of inherited medical conditions
Keep pace with others doing it
Better chance the child will succeed in life
Better understanding of genetics
Increased life span
 Benefits (cont.)
Can give a child genes that the parents do not
carry
Prevent next generation of family from getting
characteristics/diseases
Rejected embryos can be used for research
Cons case
Research from American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Prospective case study on mice:

-negative long term effects

-weight gain and memory decline

-developing nervous system is sensitive to blastomere biopsy

 Risks and Consequences of PGD

1. PGD procedure mostly results in the

destruction of a few embryos.

2. Sometimes, a defective embryo may

mature and not show the disease or defect.

3. Some genetic disorders may not show up

until the child grows and matures. So the
disorder can still show up during a later
stage in life.
 Ethical Perspectives ...
Cost - with PGD... about $17,000 - $25,000 in the US

Without- with disease could be millions chance of no

disease on average approximately $245,340

Religious beliefs- Christian believe that you should love them

how they are made not modify them

Catholic Magisterium and, thus, morally unacceptable.

Moral code- Is it ok to play god and modify embryos to make them

who we want them to be, instead of loving them for who they
are?
Ethical Perspectives (Cont.)
Societal impact- Rich families without disease (if it works) vs Poor. dealing with

disease and cost.

Discrimination due to lack of disease?

Future implications- lead to

More judgement for those who can't afford PGD

Playing God

Gender unbalance.. ( cont on next slide)

What harm can be done...
Other children in family could be

I affected by parent's decision

Termination of embryos
Only the rich can afford it
Could create a gap in society
Artificial Selection, not natural
Possibility of damage to the gene pool

Baby has no choice in the matter

Genes often have more than one use

Geneticists are not perfect

Loss of Individuality
Harm (cont.)

Elimination over treatment

Eugenics?
Success rates and the subsequent costs (about $17,000 - $25,000 in the US)
Doubt over accuracy of diagnosis
We ask ourselves can we? May we? But.. should we?

"Let me quote Dr. Steinberg. He just said he predicts we will have determined sex
with 100 percent accuracy and eye color with 80 percent accuracy in the next year.
Does that give you pause at all?" Rodriguez asked.

"It does. I think he's wrong. I don't think we're going to get to eye color and hair
color and freckles for a couple more years. But he's right in principle. We're headed
that way. It is going to be possible to pick traits, not because of diseases or avoiding
dysfunction, but because somebody has a taste for a particular child or a preference
for a particular child," Dr. Caplan said.
Questions (What is your opinion... )
Without the financial barrier, would you go through with PGD if it was free?

Say you and your spouse have planned and always wanted a son, but the PGD results say he will be
born colorblind, will you have a girl instead? Why?

Do you think we should be able to use PGD for social reasons? Should it be used for medical reasons
only?

How could artificial selection affect us in the future?

Is this the farthest we should go for intervening with prenatal development? What if we could modify
genes and produce specific traits?

If you had gone through PGD, and all of the embryos are either to be born with genetic defects, or
are inconclusive, what would you do?
Citations
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. (2009, July 22). Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis May
Pose Neurological Risks. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 21, 2017 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090721122857.htm

CBS News, comp. ""Designer Babies" Ethical?" (March 3, 2009): Web. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/designer-babies-ethial/>.

Insogna, Iris G., and Elizabeth Ginsburg. "Transferring Embryos with Indeterminate PGD Results: The Ethical Implications."
Fertility Research and Practice. BioMed Central, 01 Feb. 2016. Web. 20 Feb. 2017.

"CGS : Sex Selection." CGS : Sex Selection. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Feb. 2017.

"Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis: Pros and Cons." DIY Health | Do It Yourself Health Guide by Dr Prem. Dr Prem Web
Services, 04 Apr. 2013. Web. 21 Feb. 2017. http://diyhealth.com/8-mornng-stretches-arthritis.html

(www.rtnetworks.net), A. T. (n.d.). Welcome. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from http://www.bioethics.ac.uk/topics/preimplantation-genetic-

diagnsphp

Saunders, P. (1970, January 01). Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis is too high a price for a perfect baby. Retrieved February 21, 2017, from

<pjsaunders.blogspot.com>