Conclusion of my Prenatal Testing Research

Prenatal testing is an up-and-coming technology that could revolutionize the genetic field forever. It involves the screening of a developing fetus in order to detect any possible birth defects or genetic irregularities. It allows couples to have the knowledge of their child's health before he/she is born, and gives them the opportunity to decide whether they will keep the child (which can be seen as a good or bad thing), and if they decide to keep it, allows them to prepare financially, medically, and emotionally. The bill that I have been following further prepares parents by providing them with additional educational information regarding environmental health factors. This bill also establishes criteria for the eligibility for the prenatal testing program, which would define the risks necessary to undergo the screening. 

This topic of discussion is extremely significant to Americans because it is a new technology that could possibly give parents and doctors more of a "say" in an unborn child's life, which is a very highly debated topic already. It also solicits the debate of whether or not a parent has the right to know information about their child before it's born, and if it is worth the risk of possible harm to the fetus. Americans need to shape their views on this topic now, because it will only grow in significance from this point in time. This bill will give patients looking to undergo testing more information and education before deciding if prenatal testing is what they desire to do, and will reveal to Americans that this is a prominent field in science. 

What do you think? 

Is prenatal screening something you would like to see more of in the future? Do you think parents should have the right to interfere in their unborn child's life? Should healthcare facilities be limiting the amount of people undergoing screening or should they promote the program? 

Check out my bill and form your own opinion, because prenatal testing debates will only increase in the future! 

The Pros and Cons of The Prenatal Testing Education Bill

If my bill were to be passed, it would promote further education and thought into the process of deciding whether or not to undergo prenatal testing. The postivie aspects of my bill include:

-Healthcare providers and/or doctors having conversations with the patients regarding the environmental health, which would allow patients another opportunity to be informed before making their decision

-The environmental health information would be posted on the department of Public Health's website, which would give the public access to this information

-Develop an education program for physicians and surgeons and the public, allowing everyone involved in the process to be well-informed and educated 

-Prevent patients from unknowingly harming the unborn child through environmental substances and chemicals 

-Establishes criteria for eligibility for prenatal testing, which would limit the amount of patients undergoing the process unnecessarily. 

There are not many cons to my bill, most of the aspects are positive and promote informing patients on safe practices in their environment to prevent harm of the developing child. A few cons could include:
-The added cost of these pamphlets and distributing this information

-The extra time spent by doctors having to discuss this information with patients

-The possibility of limited availability of prenatal tests after criteria for eligibility becomes more strict. 

Second Baby Born with HIV

Last April, a baby girl was born with the AIDS virus in Los Angeles, just a month after the first case was announced in Mississippi. The LA baby has been receiving treatment ever since she was four hours old, and her infection has seemingly been put into remission and possibily cured due to the very early and proactive treatment that she received. This baby's mother did not take her HIV medication during the pregnancy, allowing the infectious disease to spread to the unborn child. Although the mother was given AIDS drugs during labor in an effort to prevent the transference of the virus, the baby was tested and proved to be infected. Now, almost a year later, the baby is still being treated and seems to be very healthy. The Mississippi baby, now 3 1/2 years old, stopped treatment after 18 months and seems to be free of the infection. 

The reason these two babies, especially the second, were so successful in their treatment was the proactive measures that doctors took very soon after the babies were born. The LA baby began treatment four hours after birth, which contributed significantly to her survivorship and recovery. These proactive treatments could've been further improved if the babies could have been tested for the virus before they were born. If doctors knew the situation before the baby was even born, they would've been even more prepared to treat the child and could begin treating the mother before the baby was born. 

The bill I'm following, requiring an educational program for the development, provision, and evaluation of genetic disease testing, should be passed because it provides parents with the background knowledge to make an informed decision about prenatal screening and testing. This bill requires the Department of Public Health to include prescribed information regarding the environmental health in the patient educational information and to post that information on the department's web site, to send a notice to all distributors of the information to inform them of any changes, and encourages obstetrician-gynecologists and midwives to discuss the environment health factors with their patients. This bill should be passed because it allows further things to be taken into consideration when deciding whether to undergo a prenatal test, which is a decision which should be well-thought out and informed. 

History of Prenatal Testing

Prenatal tests were first introduced in the mid-1960s due to the discovery of the chromosomal mutation associated with Down Syndrome. The mutation that causes Down Syndrome is a trisomy in chromosome 21, which means that instead of the normal 2 copies of this chromosome, there is an extra copy which causes developmental issues in the child. Doctors and geneticists then realized they could study embryonic DNA by abstracting amniotic fluid from a pregnant woman-this procedure is known as amniocentesis. Early on, doctors would only conduct amniocentesis on women who were older than 35, because they were at higher risk of a child with a chromosomal anomaly. This process can be used to test unborn babies for genetic diseases such as Down Syndrome, Tay-Sachs disease, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, cystic fibrosis, neural tube defects, and a variety of chromosomal disorders. The discovery of this type of genetic test was the foundation for the establishment of several more genetic testing procedures founded in the past decade. 
Below is a chart depicting the types of prenatal tests and the risks/benefits of each: 

Below is a timeline that spans from pre-conception to post-pregnancy and identifies the times when certain prenatal tests/screens would take place: 

Technology today has led to great innovations in the genetic testing field, specifically prenatal testing. Prenatal testing is conducted on a developing fetus in order to detect any birth defects or genetic irregularities. Although it poses some risks, prenatal testing allows couples to know whether or not their child will be healthy, and if the child is not, grants them time to prepare medically, financially, and emotionally. Prenatal testing is often suggested to parents with a higher risk of an abnormal child-usually if a genetic disease runs in the family or the mother is over the age of 35. Prenatal testing solicits the debate whether parents should be given the right to possibly harm the unborn child, yet educating the patients before testing is key and allows the parents the liberty to decide if it is right for them.

The bill I will be following is the "Prenatal testing program: education" bill which calls for improved education for patients prior to testing. It would add on to current education the information regarding environmental health, which would be made accessible to all parents looking to undergo testing. This education will promote healthier pregnancies and more educated decisions on prenatal testing. You can view the bill here: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201320140SB460