Noninvasive Prenatal Testing for Early Sex Identification: A Few Benefits and Many Concerns

A new technology, noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), can identify fetal sex early in pregnancy, five weeks after conception, with a high degree of accuracy through analysis of maternal blood plasma. This article considers the possibility that NIPT will encourage greater sex selection in developed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Perspectives in biology and medicine 2013, Vol.56 (4), p.530-547
Main Authors: Chapman, Audrey R, Benn, Peter A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Abortion
Abortion, Induced
Attitude of Health Personnel
Biomarkers - blood
Cultural Characteristics
Deoxyribonucleic acid
DNA
Down syndrome
Ethics
Families & family life
Family Characteristics
Female
Fetuses
Gender
Gestational Age
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Legislation
Male
Predictive Value of Tests
Pregnancy
Prenatal Diagnosis - adverse effects
Prenatal Diagnosis - ethics
Prenatal Diagnosis - methods
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors
Sex Determination Analysis - ethics
Technological change
Ultrasonic imaging
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Summary:A new technology, noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT), can identify fetal sex early in pregnancy, five weeks after conception, with a high degree of accuracy through analysis of maternal blood plasma. This article considers the possibility that NIPT will encourage greater sex selection in developed countries and discusses the implications. Sex selection raises serious social and ethical issues unless it is done for medical reasons. The article also assesses options to discourage sex-selective abortions, including the effectiveness of potential legal measures.
ISSN:0031-5982
1529-8795
1529-8795
DOI:10.1353/pbm.2013.0034