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Genetics – our reproductive futures?

Genetics – our reproductive futures?. Art Work by Gena Glover, former artist in residence , Genetics Unit Guy’s Hospital, London. The X and Y chromosomes magnified many times. “Celebrity clone dies of drug overdose”. Nature, 18 February, 2003. Determining the Sex of the Foetus.

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Genetics – our reproductive futures?

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  1. Genetics – our reproductive futures?

  2. Art Work by Gena Glover, former artist in residence, Genetics Unit Guy’s Hospital, London

  3. The X and Y chromosomes magnified many times

  4. “Celebrity clone dies of drug overdose” Nature, 18 February, 2003

  5. Determining the Sex of the Foetus • Ultrasound scan at 20 weeks • Amniocentesis (risk of miscarriage) • Blood test – of mother’s blood, from 7 weeks (genetic testing) - under medical supervision - bought privately eg. pay £179, provide drop of mother’s blood from finger prick

  6. Sex Selection: Abroad • ‘Sex Selection: Getting the baby you want. It’s one thing to wish for a baby boy or girl, quite another to make it happen. Amanda Mitchison meets the couples heading abroad – where the sex selection business is booming’ (Guardian, 3 April 2010) • Sex selection is illegal in the UK except on serious medical grounds

  7. Sex selection: in the UK • ‘Probe ordered into “preferred sex” abortions’ (Independent, 23 Feb 2012) • ‘Clinics “offer sex-selection abortions”’ (Nursing Times, 23 Feb 2012) • ‘Society needs to realise the horrific consequences of sex-selective abortions’ (Guardian, 24 Feb 2012) • ‘Greedy doctors, and why I despair for British Asian women who abort female foetuses’ (Daily Mail, 24 Feb 2012)

  8. Pre-natal Diagnosis • Helping to have a normal baby? • Or… • Generating anxiety? • ‘Slippery slope’ to abortion; • Where to draw the line? • Regulating gene capital? (female) • Commodifying children? • Eugenics? • Support Groups used to generate medical knowledge that enables genetic tests that may lead to extinction

  9. Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)

  10. Saviour Siblings • Jamie Whitaker (b. 2003) as a “saviour sibling” to his brother Charlie (who has Diamond Blackfan Anaemia) • Selection (using PGD) performed in US because illegal in the UK

  11. Saviour Siblings • ZainHashmi(suffers from Thalassaemia) • Raj and ShahanaHashmi given permission (2002) to use PGD to select embryos that are a match to Zain

  12. Saviour Siblings • Max Matthews (b. 2009) as a ‘saviour sibling’ to hissister Megan (who had Fanconi anaemia) • Stem cells harvested from umbilical cord at Max’s birth • July 2010 stem cells and bone marrow from Max transplanted to Megan • First full ‘saviour sibling’ transplant in UK

  13. Why is PGD controversial?

  14. The realities of PGD • People do not use PGD casually: • Very high failure rates (like all IVF) • High rates of attrition • Expensive • PGD patients have usually lost a foetus or a child – their desire is for a healthy baby that will survive, rather than a “designer baby”. • PGD is a technology of selection, not design

  15. The realities of PGD • As with IVF – it is an arduous physical process for women • New reproductive possibilities • New risks and responsibilities

  16. Stem cell research

  17. Conclusion • Health, illness, the body and a wide variety of traits and characteristics are increasingly conceptualised in genetic terms • Genetic testing in utero generates hopes and fears • Genetic testing of embryos is likely to continue to expand, creating new choices, possibilities, dilemmas and responsibilities for society and for women

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