Prenatal testing is a growing trend that brings with it several difficult ethical situations. There is the dilemma of whether or not to bring a baby into the world that may have serious medical problems either from the start, or sometime down the road. For those who believe that life begins at conception, the decision to end a pregnancy is equal to murder, but there have been cases where health insurers have refused to cover the medical needs of such a child, if he or she is brought into the world. Whether or not to test an older child for certain genetic disorders is another sometimes difficult parenting decision. Requesting a child to be tested for adult onset diseases can have a variety of often-overlooked repercussions.
Children are often unprepared to face or understand the results of such tests.
They may not understand the difference between a risk and a certainty. Their self-esteem can be affected at a critical time in their emotional development. It may also alter the way the child is treated by other siblings or adults who see them as being more vulnerable or fragile. Overall, genetic testing poses some serious risks. There need to be laws put into place to hinder discrimination by insurance or in employment.