Genetic screening for pregnant couples could have unexpected long term consequences both for themselves and their future offspring. It is hard enough knowing a disease can be passed on from parent to child, resulting in shortened life spans or intolerable suffering, but genetic testing is not a crystal ball with definitive answers.
My son was born with Marfan’s Syndrome, a genetic disorder I got from my father’s genes. He got it from his mother, who died giving birth to him at the age of 21 from a ruptured aorta. My 10 month old granddaughter is 31 inches tall, almost 3 feet and not even 1-year-old. People knowing my sons medical history would say the child has Marfan’s. However height also comes from the mothers genes. My daughter-in-law is 6 feet tall while my son is 6 feet 5 inches. He is 150 pounds and wears a size 19 shoe. She takes after her big-boned Italian dad. The little one is of average weight and has been walking for a month. She is healthy, active and blowing both her parents out of the water when it comes to milestones!
My son also developed other medical problems over the years. He had three strokes at age 14 due to basilar artery migraines; was diagnosed with calcanel veniculer coalitions of both feet at 11(cartilage in his feet was calcifying, encasing his nerves in bone)and alykolosing spondalitis at age 13 (arthritis of the hips knees and lower spine). He also suffered from seizures.
Yet this child of mine started college at age 11, became fluent in Russian, German, Japanese and sign language at 12; learned to play the bagpipes at 10 and earned Eagle Scout at 14. He graduated from college at 18 and two weeks later got his high school diploma. He is now 21 and has a successful career as a cameraman and director.
If my husband and I had genetic screening and believed in abortion this successful young father would not exist today.
Other consequences not considered is health insurance coverage. In California our governor is trying to make it mandatory to have health insurance or to pay a hefty fine. My son is still covered for now under my husbands policy from work but there is no way an insurance company would sell him an individual policy. For an industry that will reject an individual for conditions such as jock itch or hemorrhoids just think of what would happen if they got hold of the results of genetic screening!
