Disadvantages Of Designer Babies

The theory that a designer baby is even possible is because of Henrietta Lacks and her immortal cells. Her cells were essential in the research and experiments that created Dolly the sheep who was the first mammal to be cloned from an adult cell. Due to the fact that a sheep was successfully cloned, people gained the idea that humans could be cloned. This theory is known as designer babies. In an article, Sarah Ly states that a designer baby is, “a baby genetically engineered in vitro for specially selected traits” (Ly 1). This development suggests that in the future, it may be possible to choose the traits for a baby, such as certain eye

With technology rapidly increasing, the general public has developed a term known as designer babies. Designer babies refer to children whose genetics have been artificially selected or manipulated at the embryonic stage to exclude or produce certain traits. Designer baby technology, or reproductive genetics, combines genetic screening and engineering processes with in vitro fertilization (IVF) (Lerner 1). The big debate is whether or not it is right to genetically manipulate a baby to be born exactly as you wish. By the end of this essay you should agree with me that designer babies are morally wrong.

What traits could be changed in a designer baby? By genetic modeling, designer babies are able to switch gender, appearance, intelligence, disease, or personality. The traits selection is based on the technology of embryo screening. Embryo screening involves a process called preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Embryos are created by in-vitro fertilization and grown to the eight-cell stage, at which point one or two cells are removed. Scientists then examine the DNA of these cells for defects, and only normal embryos are replaced in the womb. By applying such technology, the geneticists are able to provide many beneficial consequences. Briefly, the pros of designer babies is indispensable. It can reduces risk of genetic diseases, and also the risk of inherited medical conditions. It can give a child genes that the parents do not carry, which can also provides better chance the child will succeed in life with an increased life span. And last but not least, it can prevent next generation of family from getting

(Thadani 2). The process of “Designer babies” involves fertilizing the egg by the sperm in a test tube outside the mother’s womb, and altering the genes. This procedure is also called Pre- implantation Genetic Diagnosis, known as (PGD). It is noble to eradicate disorders and diseases. Some people use the process for non- health reasons. When the screening is opened up to non-related health, 72 percent disapprove of the procedure, (“Introduction to Designer Babies: At Issue.”). According to a June 2006 paper published by Kathy L. Hudson of the Genetics and Public Policy Center, many people wanted to enforce a line between acceptable and unacceptable uses for PGD. (Hudson 1). By 2009, the Fertility Institutes in Los Angeles were letting parents select their children’s hair and eye color. The procedure brought over 4 billion dollars a year to the clinics. Clinics were focused on the money and no the important things, like the patients. They did not have the best interest in their patients, as much as they did in the money. (“Introduction to Designer Babies: At Issue.”). The public had a very negative view about using PGD for personal traits. (“Introduction to Designer Babies: At Issue.”). The clinic changed their policy after the outbreak of the public. (“Introduction to Designer Babies: At Issue.”). Also the procedure is very risky. The procedure involves some risks to the embryo, and some parents with no personal history of disease or disability. (Briggs 2). If the process is not done correctly and carefully, the embryo may have a chance of being terminated. (The Ethics of “Designer Babies”). The procedure also causes a chance of mutation. (“Preface to ‘Genetic of Enhancement of Human Abilities’”.). The technology

Day by day, an accretion of advancements and improvements are formed across the world. Prominent developments occur rapidly, like the use and creation of technology. Technology has and continues to create an immense effect on how we live our daily lives. Its use is ranged from how information is found, travel, communication, and more. However, the advancements of technology seems to interfere with the circle of natural life, life that is brought into our world. It has changed the lives of unborn children, whom are in the form of an embryo. Altered by a new technique and process of genetic modification, that is commonly referred to as “Designer Babies”. This genetic modification, genetically modifies the DNA of an embryo to achieve desirable traits amongst them. It changes an unborn babies development and future life. While it may seem that designer babies can be a positive life change, there are negative effects that outweigh, due to the fact that it goes against human nature; genetic probability, expectations, diversity, and religious prospects.

For many years, the idea of being able to design and choose your children has long been a topic of science fiction. But rapid progress in genetics is making the idea of ‘designer children’ possible. A designer child is a baby whose genetic make-up has been selected in order to eradicate a particular defect, or to ensure that a particular gene is present. This can be used to improve the health of the baby, or enhancing particular genes to make the child achieve better in a particular area. These babies are also described as genetically modified, where the child contains genetic material that has been artificially altered so as to produce a desired characteristic. Despite the seemingly beneficial results, there are many negative as well as positive aspects to this new technique.

For many people, the term “designer babies” sounds like something that could only exist in the novel, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. But, science has now advanced to the point where faulty genes can now be singled out, discarded, and replaced with more favorable ones. Just like the 16,012 babies manufactured in the Hatchery and Conditioning Centre in Brave New World, human embryos can be selected for fertilization based on their genes. This is done through the processes of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). This involves removing mature egg cells from a woman and fertilizing it with male sperm outside of the body. The embryos are then analyzed for abnormalities and mutations in the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The healthiest embryos are then implanted back into the woman’s uterus for regular gestation (Yount). The development of these techniques originated from the Human Genome Project initiated by the United States government in 1988 (Siegel-Itzkovich). Although established initially with the purpose of selecting healthy embryos free of disease, the same techniques can be applied to select genes that code for traits such as intelligence, strength, and beauty. IVF and PGD are useful techniques but should only be used for medical purposes, not for selecting the embryos of perfect children.

The act of genetically designing babies has been beneficial in The past and may continue to be in the near future.Creating designer babies are beneficial to the society in many ways.Creating designer babies has the possibility of preventing genetic disease,provide a tissue match or stem cells for a sick sibling or help infertile couples to have a baby.“….many more couples have created their own designer baby to save their sick child or prevent their offspring from inheriting a certain genetic disease.”To begin,since the year 2000 designer babies have been created to save the lives of other children. They have been created to prevent genetic disease that may be passed down. the last thing a parent would want is for their child to have a genetic

The possibility of making a designer baby could be happening soon. It is no longer an issue of whether it will happen; the question is when will it happen. Today researchers are making fast advances in information on the human genome and how to change and adjust genes. Utilizing pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), parents can choose particular developing embryos to guarantee a specific sex or to prevent a disease. Nevertheless, this innovation may be utilized to choose eye color or even the intelligence of a child. People should not be allowed to design their babies because it is not morally correct, it could create discrimination against the disabled, and it could affect the child 's mental well-being.

“A baby whose genetic makeup has been selected in order to eradicate a particular defect, or to ensure that a particular gene is present”; the definition of a designer baby is a simple one. A child who, through science and engineering, is given traits desired by it’s parents to resemble their view of a healthier, better baby. Whether that is to treat a mutation in the child’s DNA that could result in Down’s Syndrome or changing the baby’s eye color from brown to blue, science has made it not only conceivable but a very likely possibility, for fully designed babies to be waddling down the street within the century. Though the term “designer baby” is not one recognized by scientists, many journalists across the world have coined the term to explain the quite terrifying potential reality that lies ahead for humanity. Currently, only two types of advanced reproductive techniques can be conducted on humans. One, analyzes the sperm to determine the sex and genes of the baby, and the second screens for various genetic deformities that may occur before birth, thus allowing people to only fertilize healthy embryos.

A designer baby is the word used to describe the act of genetically modifying the genes of babies. They can also screen embryos for any disorders and could even been uses for modification of characteristics such as gender eye colour and even intelligence. Advanced technologies have allowed doctors to be able to screen embryos for any genetic disorders to enable them to select healthy embryos.

Imagine a world where diseases, bad behaviors, flaws can be screened out. Instead, choosing babies physical appearance, certain traits that contribute to how the child turns out, becomes the norm – imagine the designer baby. With the rapid advancement of technology, the chance of designer babies coming to reality is increasing every day. “Designer babies”, an interesting, yet, very controversial subject in the science field. A more scientific term for this is “genetically engineered babies (GEB)”, infants who certain traits are chosen through a variety of scientific methods. In the United States, GEB has been used to prevent and detect medical conditions such as Down’s syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and different types of cancers (Alleyne, 2012). However, when it comes to using it for aesthetic traits that parents want their children to have, it’s a completely different story.

Imagine a world where having a baby was like looking through a menu at some fancy restaurant. Imagine being able to choose how a baby will look and act. As mind-boggling as it sounds, scientists and researchers came across an unbelievable discovery: it is possible to design and edit a baby however a person may like. Hanson asserts that personality, gender, appearance, intelligence, hair color, and height can be changed using technology that was originally used for animals (Hanson). These babies are called designer babies. Phillip Ball, a science writer, claims that it is possible to change the genetic makeup of an unborn baby using bio-technology. However, these changes can have more negative effects than positive. Although most countries have not legislated the use of genetic modification, studies have been done on human embryos in China (Ball).

Embryo Selection and Modification a.k.a Designer Baby Author: Nithya John Department of Business and Information Technology, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, USA (najr3d@mst.edu) Abstract. Through recent technology in the Silicon Valley of researchers being able to understand the human genome, came the possibility to prevent children from having the same heritable diseases as their parents through in vitro PFD or preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Lately, some clinics give parents the option of choosing gender as well which is the first decision that is a step past the general well being of the child. New technology can make gene editing a reality which includes tools to specifically choose physical features

How does it sound to walk into the doctor’s office, choose what attributes you want your baby to have, and then having that exact baby 9 months later? Although this may seem quite harmless to most, the negative effects of designer babies are tremendous: the lack of diversity in our population, violation of a specific set of laws designed to protect humans, going against Christian views, and even destroying the roots of human nature. With genetic engineering biotechnology, such as Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (or CRISPR), new and unique altercations are being done to revolutionize many aspects of our lives. Along with astounding benefits that can come from these biotechnologies, many people have come up with crazy ideas, such as these designer baby ideas, that could be potentially harmful to our society.