Am J Perinatol 2014; 31(07): 637-644
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1364190
Review Article
Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Ethical Issues in Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment

Conor L. McMann
1   Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee
,
Brian S. Carter
2   Bioethics Center, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri
3   Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
,
John D. Lantos
2   Bioethics Center, Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Missouri
3   Department of Pediatrics, University of Missouri-Kansas City, Kansas City, Missouri
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

15 October 2013

27 November 2013

Publication Date:
10 February 2014 (online)

Abstract

Fetal diagnosis has raised ethical issues since it was first developed in the 1940s and 1950s. Two controversial issues have predominated. First, when the techniques for prenatal diagnosis were invasive techniques, they created risks to the pregnant women. Second, prenatal diagnosis led to either prenatal treatment, which also generally had some risks to the pregnant woman, or to abortion, which has always been ethically controversial. In this article, we will review the history of ethical controversy over fetal diagnosis and discuss how they presage today's controversies.

 
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