Prenatal whole-genome sequencing--is the quest to know a fetus's future ethical?

@article{Yurkiewicz2014PrenatalWS,
  title={Prenatal whole-genome sequencing--is the quest to know a fetus's future ethical?},
  author={Ilana R. Yurkiewicz and Bruce R Korf and Lisa Soleymani Lehmann},
  journal={The New England journal of medicine},
  year={2014},
  volume={370 3},
  pages={
          195-7
        }
}
Researchers have reported sequencing a fetal genome from cell-free fetal DNA in a pregnant woman's blood, heralding the possibility of performing whole-genome sequencing as early as the first trimester of pregnancy. This innovation raises ethical and policy questions. 
View on PubMed
stellar.mit.edu
20 Citations
Background Citations
3

20 Citations

Citation Type

Citation Type

Prenatal Genetic Screening and Diagnostic Testing
TLDR
Signals and options for preconception carrier screening and for prenatal genetic screening and diagnosis are reviewed in this chapter.
Noninvasive prenatal diagnosis using Cell free fetal DNA in maternal blood: Current efforts and future perspectives
TLDR
High degree of accuracy of cffDNA as a method of noninvasive prenatal testing during pregnancy carries a number of socio-ethical implications when it is used for early detection fetal sex for suspected X-linked diseases.
Understanding parental opinions on whole exome sequencing in the prenatal setting
TLDR
The public health significance of this study is that prenatal whole exome sequencing will likely become clinically available as technologies continue to improve and Understanding the public’s views on the testing is important in order to predict uptake and any perceived barriers.
Next-Generation Sequencing for Gene Panels and Clinical Exomes
TLDR
This chapter reviews the current experience, benefits, and challenges associated with sequence variant interpretation; its clinical utility; genetic counseling considerations; and ethical and societal issues of fetal genome-wide sequencing.
Ex-Vivo Expansion of Fetal Cells Isolated from Maternal Circulation
TLDR
Ex vivo expansion techniques for fetal cells isolated from maternal circulation could be a tool for metaphase analysis for the diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities and culturing fetal cells would benefit to increase the number of fetal cells in vitro.
Cell-Free Fetal DNA: A Novel Biomarker for Early Prediction of Pre-eclampsia and Other Obstetric Complications.
TLDR
The present review focuses on recent literature concerning the use of cell-free fetal DNA in early prediction of preeclampsia as well as for non-invasive prenatal genetic screening of fetus for various disorders.
Fetal nucleated red blood cell analysis for non-invasive prenatal diagnostics using a nanostructure microchip.
TLDR
An affinity microchip is reported which uses hydroxyapatite/chitosan nanoparticles as well as immuno-agent anti-CD147 to effectively isolate fNRBCs from maternal peripheral blood, and on-chip biomedical analysis was demonstrated as a proof of concept for NIPD based on f NRBCs.
High Throughput Sequencing and Assessing Disease Risk.
TLDR
High-throughput sequencing has dramatically improved the ability to determine and diagnose the underlying causes of human disease and will likely continue to influence this area of disease research as more and more individuals undergo sequencing and the authors better understand the significance of variation across the genome.
Exploring the Issues Surrounding Clinical Exome Sequencing in the Prenatal Setting
TLDR
The results of this study help gain a better understanding of the implications of using exome sequencing in a prenatal setting and development of guidelines is also warranted to aid clinical practice and laboratory standards for reporting prenatal results.
Laboratory considerations for prenatal genetic testing.
TLDR
New genetic tests have rapidly entered clinical care with little consistency in laboratory testing and reporting and issues of VUS, incidental findings, and phenotype/genotype correlations need to be investigated before these techniques enter routine clinical care.
...
1
2
...

References

SHOWING 1-7 OF 7 REFERENCES
Technical report: ethical and policy issues in genetic testing and screening of children
TLDR
This technical report provides ethical justification and empirical data in support of the proposed policy recommendations regarding genetic testing and screening in a myriad of settings.
Ethical and Policy Issues in Genetic Testing and Screening of Children
TLDR
This policy statement represents recommendations developed collaboratively by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics with respect to many of the scenarios in which genetic testing and screening can occur.
Erratum: Non-invasive prenatal measurement of the fetal genome
TLDR
This corrects the article to show that the method used to derive the H2O2 “spatially aggregating force” is based on a two-step process, not a single step, like in the previous version of this paper.
Fetal pain: a systematic multidisciplinary review of the evidence.
TLDR
Evidence regarding the capacity for fetal pain is limited but indicates that fetal perception of pain is unlikely before the third trimester, and limited or no data exist on the safety of such techniques for pregnant women in the context of abortion.
Legislative interference with the patient-physician relationship.
In this Sounding Board article, the leaders of major medical specialties make the case that government has no place in making laws that direct patient–physician relationships.
Commentary on Abortion Studies of Steinberg and Finer (Social Science & Medicine 2011; 72:72–82) and Coleman (Journal of Psychiatric Research 2009;43:770–6 & Journal of Psychiatric Research 2011;45:1133–4)
Disclosure of APOE Genotype for Risk of Alzheimer's Disease