ABC News journalist, Gillian Mohney informed us about new technology in the genetic world through the article "New Technology Allows Parents Genetic 'Preview' Before Conception." Women who want to get pregnant use the Gene Peeks company to look for sperm donors and analyze them by seeing how their DNA reacts with hers. This can possibly prevent any kind of genetic complication that might occur if they were to conceive. The company examines about 500 genetic conditions and a whopping 8,000,000 genetic mutations. Once the user is done with the analysis, she will have a "personalized catalog" of donors to choose from, as Mohney puts it.
As of now two fertility clinics are locked in to utilize this technology in the United States later on this month. But of course, there are some experts who are skeptical about getting a "genetic preview" of the baby before it's born. A professor at the John Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Dr. Jeffrey Khan said that people should realize that this is based off of probability and not how it's definitely going to be. He figured because the company uses algorithms to make 100 virtual babies of what their DNA might be like, doesn't mean that one of them is the one you're going to take home. Another worry of his is that people might not comprehend their worksheet that might be detailed with complicated possibilities. This new technology, he says, is an updated version of sperm bank shopping.
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I feel like this combined with a pedigree of the woman who wants to get pregnant will be an efficient way to make sure her future child won't have any difficulty. Although, Dr. Jeffrey Khan is right in the sense to understand that the system gives you possibilities and not finalities. Hopefully, the personalized catalog of sperm donors is easy to read because if it's confusing, women might misinterpret or shy away from using what they've found because they don't understand it.
To read the original article click here: http://abcnews.go.com/Health/technology-parents-genetic-preview-conception/story?id=23275566
To learn more about Gene Peeks click here: http://www.genepeeks.com
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