Bioethical problems of fertility awareness and prenatal diagnostics

Abstract

Postponing childbirth is becoming increasingly common in Western countries, especially among groups with higher education qualifications. This increases the risk of involuntary infertility in this group and reproductive problems connected with age . In November 2005 European Commission publicized results of two surveys on science and technology and their related values . One of the issues examined was prenatal life . 53% of Europeans think it is “very important” to protect the dignity of the foetus . The countries most concentrated on this issue (73%) are Malta, Greece and Ireland . Hungary, Denmark and Lithuania are at the bottom of the list (only 37%) . These attitudes are important from the medical point of view, because every elective abortion has aggravating effect for future pregnancies . After abortion future pregnancies appears to be in elderly age, when there is elevated possibility to chromosomal defects . Also there are risks for preterm birth and delivery complications . An important aspect of prenatal diagnostics (PD) is to discuss with a couple about advantages and disadvantages of PD . We report some cases: case1 .36 aged woman came to genetic counseling clinic with fertility problems: in anamnesis second and third pregnancies ended in miscarriages at 6-7 weeks, after first pregnancy ended in miscarriage at 17 weeks, after amniocentesis ( answer of karyotype was normal 46XY) . case2. 42 aged woman, who previouslly had 6 abortions, delivered child with Patau syndrome . case3. 37 aged woman, who conceived and used oral contraceptives, not realising about pregnancy, till third month of pregnancy, came for PD.