PRENATAL GENETIC TESTING

GENETIC TESTING Response to Charlene Abel Prenatal genetic testing is important because it helps to assess the risk for fetal abnormalities and serious genetic conditions. When the expectant parent discovers a defect, they are able to make a decision whether to carry the pregnancy to full term and seek treatment for the baby’s condition as early as possible, or, depending on the seriousness of the defect, to terminate the pregnancy so as to avoid the emotional and financial burden of taking care of a handicapped child. One of the main disadvantages of genetic testing is that it has negatively influenced the way people perceive reproduction (Beauchamp, & Childress, 2013).

The reproduction process should be allowed to happen naturally instead of trying to create a perfect child.

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NURSING

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Response to David Melia Prenatal genetic testing is a controversial issue. The RN should however not impose his morality on a patient who requests to have the procedure; regardless of their moral or religious stance on the procedure, the RN should detach his opinions and emotions from their work (Paul, 1998). Any parent would want to have their child to have a good quality of life, and it is important for a nurse to understand the reasons behind their decision and respect it.

The nurse should, therefore, allow patients to make decisions autonomously, their only role is to ensure that the patient is well-informed of all the implications of the test prior to testing, and provide unbiased counseling afterward.

Reference Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2013). Principles of Biomedical Ethics. Oxford University Press.

Paul, D.B. (1998). The Politics Of Heredity: Essays On Eugenics, Biomedicine And The Nature-Nurture Debate. New York: SUNY Press.