Antenatal screening and its possible meaning from unborn baby's perspective

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High Frequency Ultrasound for the Analysis of Fetal and Placental Development In Vivo
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High Frequency Ultrasound for the Analysis of Fetal and Placental Development In Vivo

Published on: November 8, 2018

Sahin Aksoy1

  • 1Harran University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Ethics and History of Medicine, 63200 Sanliurfa, TURKEY. saksoy@harran.edu.tr

BMC Medical Ethics
|June 8, 2001
PubMed

Insights

Antenatal screening, a common pregnancy check, raises bioethical concerns. This review questions if screening truly benefits the unborn child or serves external interests.

Area of Science:

  • Bioethics
  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Medical Genetics

Background:

  • Antenatal screening has become a routine part of pregnancy care.
  • The procedure is a significant topic of discussion in bioethics.
  • Concerns exist regarding the rationale and implications of antenatal screening.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To discuss the rationale behind antenatal screening.
  • To examine the actual and potential problems associated with antenatal screening.
  • To analyze the procedure from the perspectives of parents, healthcare professionals, and the fetus.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and ethical analysis.
  • Examination of current practices in antenatal screening.
  • Discussion of ethical dilemmas arising from genetic screening.

Main Results:

  • Antenatal screening is often performed without sufficient consideration.
  • Pregnancy is increasingly medicalized due to the emergence of antenatal screening.
  • The benefits of screening may prioritize external interests over the child's well-being.

Conclusions:

  • Antenatal screening raises significant ethical questions.
  • The practice may inadvertently treat pregnancy as a disease.
  • There is a need to re-evaluate antenatal screening to ensure it serves the best interests of the child-to-be.

Keywords:
Genetics and Reproduction

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