Ethical aspects of prenatal diagnosis: views of U.S. medical geneticists

Abstract

This article presents data from a study of 295 qualified medical geneticists in the United States. The study's objective was to determine the degree of consensus and variation among practicing medical geneticists about the major ethical problems of prenatal diagnosis. Based on the data presented, the argument has been made that most medical geneticists share a dominant moral approach on three major problems: abortion choices, controversial indications for fetal diagnosis, and problems in disclosure of ambiguous or disputed results. Ethical problems in selective termination in high-risk twin and multiple pregnancies need more study. A preliminary evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of prevailing standards in prenatal diagnosis was also made. Three weaknesses were noted: neglect of the demands for fairness in access to and distribution of prenatal diagnosis in the United States, unpreparedness for society's growing concerns about developing trends in human genetics, and need for changes in non-directive counseling in order to appreciate the complexities that will accompany the introduction of proven new treatments for genetic disorders.