Matters of Life & Death: Prenatal screening 1: Peering into the unknown, less than 1/150, blood tests over the internet, and disability doublethink

2022-06-15T09:12:00+01:00

Pregnant women today are offered a battery of tests and screening for their unborn child, looking for an ever-increasing range of conditions and risks. But is the onward march of technology in this sphere always an unmitigated good thing?

With abortion for a disability legal in the UK up to term, women are being given terrible choices previous generations never faced: give birth to a child who probably has a life-limiting or even fatal condition, or end the pregnancy early. What ethical challenges does this knowledge, whether gained via the official NHS programmes or a growing number of DIY tests available online, pose?

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Matters of Life & Death: Prenatal screening 1: Peering into the unknown, less than 1/150, blood tests over the internet, and disability doublethink

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Related articles

Earthquakes and cancer: Why is God’s good world so full of suffering? with Sharon Dirckx

Vaccine conspiracies, mistrust and catastrophism: How the church lost its way, with Dr Francis Collins

DNA, parenthood and selecting for IQ: The surprising return of eugenics

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Prenatal screening: Is all knowledge a good thing?

Same-sex attraction and friendship in church, with Ed Shaw