Scientists have predicted the whole genome of a fetus from DNA sequencing from the mother’s blood and the father’s saliva. To do this, the doctors undertake prenatal diagnosis from fetal cells derived from the amniocentesis or from the chorionic villus. However, caution is taken since the insertion of a needle to the mother’s womb can cause miscarriage. Due to this, the doctors opt for the mothers’ blood since about 10% of cell-free DNA floating in the mothers blood stems from the fetus. It is difficult to differentiate the fetus DNA from the blood of the mother.
This approach is the first noninvasive DNA sequencing. In addition, the scientists have attempted to find other mutations other than those the mother and father may carry. However, such has led to huge false positives that may indicate the child may have a genetic mutation they do not have. The study is too expensive with each child coasting up to $50,000 and the data available is not conclusive since there are many developmental disorders whose genetic causes in not yet known (Kai Kupferschmidt , 2012).
I agree to some extent on the scientific approach to establish some inherent genetic mutation that may affect an inborn. Such a move is critical since it can help the parents to make informed decisions early enough. In the event one of the parents has a known disorder, the move shall help establish if the disorder has been transferred to the fetus. Nevertheless, during the cognitive development, the child after birth may develop other disorders that are not from the mother or father. For example, mental retardation may occur as the child grows which may not be an influence of the genes. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity disorders may also result as the child grows.
Work cited
Kai Kupferschmidt. “Sequencing the Unborn.” 2012. Retrieved from http://news.sciencemag.org/health/2012/06/sequencing-unborn?ref=hp on October 23, 2014.
