Amniocentesis: Advantages vs. Disadvantages & Ethics Amniocentesis has become of the most controversial and fastest growing trends of expecting parents. The pros and cons of this contentious prenatal test have continually been increasing. Amniocentesis is a prenatal test that allows a doctor to gather information about a baby’s health and development from a sample of amniotic fluid. The test is most commonly done when the women is between 15 and 18 weeks pregnant. The test is used to determine whether the baby has genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. Amniocentesis has recently caused a great deal of controversy in the news at doctor offices in the United States. After comparing the pros and cons it is eminent that amniocentesis is an important test that should be offered to those pregnant women who desire to have it. Amniocentesis offers many advantages to the expecting mother. This test determines whether the unborn baby has genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. It identifies several hundred genetic disorders including some of the most common such as Down syndrome and Edward’s syndrome. It can also identify other genetic disorders such as Tay-Sachs disease, Huntington’s disease, Sickle cell disease, and cystic fibrosis. Other testing techniques such as ultrasounds pick up on these problems. Only amniocentesis is able to provide the information needed to diagnosis these problems in the womb. Amniocentesis can also indicate whether the baby is at risk for spina bifida and anencephaly. The test is more than 99 percent accurate in diagnosing these various conditions. It is the only test that can provide results which are accurate. Other important reasons to have the test include checking the well being of the baby. This is important if the mother has blood sensitization, such as Rh sensitization. Also the test can determine whether the baby’s lungs are mature enough for an early delivery if the mother appears to be in premature labor. As amniocentesis has become more popular more women opt for the test to ensure that their child is in perfect health. More than 95 percent of the high-risk women who have amniocentesis receive good news from their results. Only about 5 percent will be found to have a baby with a problem. This test is usually offered to those who are found to have a somewhat increased risk of having a baby with a chromosomal or genetic defect.
Reflection Paper 1 Timothy Jenkins CEP 215 New Mexico State University Upon viewing “More Business of Being Born” (Epstein, 2011), I learned a lot about the different pros and cons of Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). Women are often deprived of the choice of the method of delivery of their children after they’ve previously had a cesarean birth. The cause of this is that there exists medical fright about a rupture of the uterus which often leads to the death of mother and baby (Epstein, 2011). In the mid twentieth century, it became common saying that “once a cesarean, always a cesarean” came about. This saying perpetrated the fear and understanding that women have to go about having another cesarean, depriving them of choice (Epstein, 2011).
The focus of this paper is to discuss the different characteristics of the two most effective methods of child births: Natural births and Cesarean section (C-section). Child birth includes labor and delivery; the entire process of passage from the womb, to the birth canal, to the outside world. Natural birth is a method of child birth in which medical interventions are minimal and the mother usually practices relaxation and breathing techniques to minimize pain during delivery. Cesarean section (c-section) is a method of birth which involves delivery through incisions in the abdominal walls and uterus. Natural births and C-sections both pose documented medical risks to the mother’s health including infections and other medical mishaps (Rowe- Murray 2002).
Amniocentesis and ultrasound techniques are the most common ways for couples to determine the sex of the child before it is born. In the US, such tests are routine and not usually alarming, but in nations such as India and China those tests, and others, have become an issue of debate since the results could mean life or death. Until the 1980’s, people in poor countries could do little about their preference for sons before birth, ...
In the world we're living in today, some women aren’t capable of having babies. With the help of Surrogacy, it’s possible to have children of your own even if you aren’t capable of having them. Surrogacy is defined as the carrying of someone else's baby. The use of surrogacy commonly occurs when both parents are incapable of having a baby due to various reasons and men around the world can have children of their own. Although surrogacy can be a good thing, Surrogacy also has it’s pros and cons just like everything else. As we proceed for the purpose of this essay I will inform you about what Surrogacy is, the different methods of Surrogacy and how society views Surrogacy.
Some fetuses are proven to have a genetic abnormality. There are many cases where the fetus is said to be born with unhealthy; down syndrome, cancer, disability, and many other uncommon cases. “An ultrasound report suggests about the physical development of the fetus. During the early months of pregnancy, many things can go wrong as a new baby starts developing. The cells are multiplying at a very fast rate that can cause some complex interactions between newly formed body parts. Such interactions may cause serious defect to the child and may also invite complications in pregnancy.” There are other tests such as amniocentesis, which are performed between 14 – 20 weeks. This test detects a variety of chromosomal abnormalities and genetic disorders. Women and their husbands should have the right to be able to decide whether they are capable of raising their children with serious conditions or not. It could be very tough financially, emotionally, and physically. Financially speaking if the child is mentally or physically ill, the parents would have to make a certain budget plan since they need extra care. Disabled kids take more time to be potty trained, and some unfortunately aren’t able at all so that would result in a life time budget of diapers. Others may require physical, speech, and occupational therapy. Some families aren’t able to afford
...s. Most women are fortunate and have an outcome of a full term, healthy baby, however, there are some women that are not so fortunate and have preterm births. With this said, all women, when contemplating pregnancy, should be aware of all the risks and possible complications that can arise and also the preventions that can be taken.
When it comes to genetic diseases and conditions, testing can be very helpful and serve a good purpose. People with diseases that are inheritable to their children are encouraged to be tested. For example, in the article about Jewish testing, it says
There are multiple tests and doctors that may help diagnose a patient with Tay-Sachs disease. These test are organized into three groups based on when they are performed, such as preconception, antenatal, and after birth. Before pregnancy, both parents may have blood tests implemented in order to check for a hexosaminidase A deficiency. Such blood test are conducted by doing an enzyme analysis of blood or tissue. If both parents test positive for this deficiency there will be a 25% chance that the child will be affected by Tay-Sachs disease. Two types of antenatal testing may be performed in order to check the fetus for the disease, such as chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis testing. An acceptable testing period for chorionic villus
Many women today are doing more C-sections, also known as cesarean, than they are natural. Whether the reasons being because it’s more convenient or that some moms did not really have a choice, the percentage is still growing. “The cesarean delivery rate increased from 26% to 36.5% between 2003 and 2009; 50.0% of the increase was attributable to an increase in primary cesarean delivery (National Partnership for Women & Families, 201.)” There are many things to consider when deciding which is the right or safer choice. With both choices comes risks for the baby like, possible respiratory problems with a C-section. The mom has many risks to worry about for herself as well, like possibly hemorrhaging. There is also the recovery and the long-term effects that a woman has to put into consideration. They both have their pros and cons that should not be taken lightly.
Spielman, B. (1995). [Review of Women and prenatal testing]. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 23, 199-201.
For decades newborns have gone through screening and assessments to determine where they are health wise after birth. The screening and assessments not only worry about the immediate moment, but also look for possible presence of disorders that could affect the newborn in the future. There are a number of different assessments and scales used after a newborn is born. The neonatal assessments and scales range from assessing behavior to determining whether there is a possible medical condition that could arise later in life for the infant. The screening and assessments are necessary, even if not all of them are completed there are some that will be done automatically after birth.
second, prenatal testing, is a testing of a fetus at risk for the disease. The
There is also a high-resolution ultrasound scanning that can detect chromosomal and physical abnormalities in the first trimester as opposed to the second trimester. A technology such as this can create many ethical problems. Mcfadyen describes the biggest problem as being informed consent. “They may believe that it will provide information only about gestational age and be unaware of the range of abnormalities that can be detected. Recent research suggests that many women are not told beforehand of the first scan’s potential to detect fetal anomalies.”
Genetic testing can help people determine why they get cancer or other diseases. Genetic testing is recommended to people who have a family history of a genetic disease, have children who are born with genetic defects, and have gone through more than one miscarriage in the past. Though these te...
Newborn screening is the practice in which the harmful or potentially fatal conditions that can affect the infant's health or survival are detected. This process can prevent death or health problems and protect the infant against certain diseases and medical conditions. Newborn screening started in 1960's when many states in U.S.A. established a newborn test program for phenylketonuria (PKU) by using the Guthrie method, a system for the collection and transportation of blood samples on filter paper. Many Infants showed developments while receiving treatment. This success led to the addition of tests for other metabolic diseases. Over time, tests were added for endocrine disorders and now newborn screening program include more than 50 individual conditions.