Un-Knowing the Embryo: The Moral Labor of Doing Preimplantation Genetic Testing in France

Preimplantation genetic testing is an ethically sensitive practice that aims to prevent the birth of children with hereditary diseases by transferring only "healthy" embryos. While French law forbids discarding healthy-carrier embryos, it leaves a "gray area" regarding the preference for non-carriers. This ambiguity creates "moral tensions" for professionals. To ease the ethical burden, they engage in a "moral labor" that involves maintaining - or even creating - ignorance about the exact genetic status of the embryos transferred, allowing them to navigate the moral complexities of their work.