Designer Babies: The New Norm?
Designer babies, a controversial topic to some parents, are babies who are genetically modified with selected traits by both genetic engineering and in vitro fertilization. Those who consider designer babies have the opportunity to look at many traits to change in their babies such as their gender, appearance, intelligence, personality, and diseases. The pros of designer babies is that they can reduce the risk of genetic diseases, the child has a better chance of survival, prevents the next generation from carrying any risky disease, and allows awareness for parents to know that this is an option for their child. The cons consists of the possibility of damaging the child’s gene pool, the child has no choice, and the loss of individuality. It is a procedure that is costly, yet it allows to the guardian to choose whatever they want for their baby. Perhaps, you can consider the guardian as playing the role of “God.” The question of whether it is morally right or morally wrong and should be permitted is an ethical current debate. Many social justice and human rights advocates highlight this topic because some see it as a new opportunity and possibly, a new norm. Overall, the future holds endless possibilities, and one of them is the new norm: designer babies.
- Future For All. (n.d.). Designer babies pros and cons. https://www.futureforall.org/bioengineering/designer-babies.html
- Cubías, P. N. & Darnovsky, M. (2020, February 20). “Designer babies”: DNA in the headlines. Tides. https://www.tides.org/accelerating-social-change/policy/designer-babies-dna-in-the-headlines/
