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Maltese Gynaecologist Says Embryos Should Be Screened For Genetic Diseases During IVF

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Leading Maltese gynaecologist Mark Sant has urged the government to legalise IVF procedures that will allow parents to choose which embryos to utilise on the basis of whether they will be born with a genetic disease or disability.

Sant told Lovin Malta that loads of Maltese people are already travelling overseas to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) procedures, describing these as methods to extend people’s lives.

The gynaecologist noted that there are two scenarios where PGD is applicable

In the first case, it can help doctors determine which embryos produced through IVF have an abnormal number of chromosomes and which are therefore destined to fail if they are implanted. With the IVF failure rate for women over 40 standing at around 73% of the embryos they produce, PGD will massively boost the chances of a successful pregnancy.

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The second scenario is even more ethically blurry, as it involves doctors diagnosing embryos for genetic disorders and disabilities, and then giving parents the choice which embryos to accept.

This would allow parents to know in advance whether they’ll be bearing a child with conditions such as Huntington’s disease, thalassemia major, gangliosidosis and Down Syndrome.

Sant dismissed concerns that PGD is akin to humans “playing God”, arguing it is a life-extending procedure just as medical interventions for issues like chest pains are

“If you have Huntington’s disease, you have two choices in front of you, to not have children at all or to identify the unaffected embryos,” Sant said. “No one with Huntington’s will ever want to bring a child with Huntington’s into this world and have the disease hanging over their heads forever.”

“Once, I had two patients who didn’t know whether they had the gene or not and who didn’t want to know because as soon as you know, your life becomes a waiting game.”

With regards disabilities like Down Syndrome, Sant said that while the condition is compatible with life, the government shouldn’t force a couple to give birth to a child with the genetic disorder

“Why should the government decide which embryos parents choose?” he asked. “We’re playing a hypocritical god because the reality is that no one would choose a child with Down Syndrome over a child without it. Parents should be given the choice; there have been cases where parents had one viable embryo but it had Down Syndrome and they accepted it anyway.”

As it stands, Malta’s IVF law requires women to give up their unused frozen embryos to the state, to be put up for adoption, as soon as the mother turns 43

However, Sant said that the introduction of PGD must come hand in hand with a change to this law as no one will willingly adopt an embryo with a genetic disorder or disability.

“All it will take for this law to collapse is one parent suing the government in the EU courts for forcing her to put her embryos up for adoption,” he said. “Forcing people to donate, something which should be done voluntarily, is a ridiculous concept.”

Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar recently called for a mature discussion on PGD, as well as surrogacy, as part of the government’s efforts to enhance treatment for people with infertility

“The recent update to the IVF law made a lot of couples happy but the reality is that there are still families out there who have problems conceiving and becoming parents,” she said. “There are couples who have to go overseas to be given treatments that Malta doesn’t offer. Exporting these people and their problems overseas isn’t a solution, was never a solution and will never be a solution.”

“Infertility is a condition and all conditions require cures and the World Health Organisation clearly states that everyone has the right to be cured in their own country.”

What do you make of this? Let us know in the comments below

READ NEXT: Re: Bribing Couples Into Forcibly Handing Over Their Embryos To The State. Can We Not?

 

Tim is interested in the rapid evolution of human society and is passionate about justice, human rights and cutting-edge political debates. You can follow him on Instagram or Twitter/X at @timdiacono or reach out to him at [email protected]

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