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American experts have developed a blood test which they claim could be used to routinely screen foetuses for more than 3,000 genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis and muscular dystrophy.
But the researchers recognised that the ability to predict the genetic code of a foetus at just 18 weeks could raise "many ethical questions" because of the likelihood it would lead to more abortions.
Now some British experts have cautioned that the test – which is still many years from being used in clinics – may do more harm than good because in many cases it would be very hard to predict how a mutation would affect a child and how severe their disability might be.
Others argued that any information which parents can be given to help them prepare for a possible eventuality after their child is born, or to decide to terminate their pregnancy, should not be withheld.
Lord Winston, the fertility expert, said that examining a child's entire genome was ethically no different to current tests for conditions like cystic fibrosis which doctors routinely carry out in...
But the researchers recognised that the ability to predict the genetic code of a foetus at just 18 weeks could raise "many ethical questions" because of the likelihood it would lead to more abortions.
Now some British experts have cautioned that the test – which is still many years from being used in clinics – may do more harm than good because in many cases it would be very hard to predict how a mutation would affect a child and how severe their disability might be.
Others argued that any information which parents can be given to help them prepare for a possible eventuality after their child is born, or to decide to terminate their pregnancy, should not be withheld.
Lord Winston, the fertility expert, said that examining a child's entire genome was ethically no different to current tests for conditions like cystic fibrosis which doctors routinely carry out in...