Editing In vitro fertilisation (section)

===Preimplantation genetic diagnosis or screening ===
[[Preimplantation genetic diagnosis|Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis]] (PGD) is criticised for giving select demographic groups disproportionate access to a means of creating a child possessing characteristics that they consider "ideal". Many fertile couples<ref>{{cite journal |vauthors=Stern HJ |date=March 2014 |title=Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis: Prenatal Testing for Embryos Finally Achieving Its Potential |journal=Journal of Clinical Medicine |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=280–309 |doi=10.3390/jcm3010280 |pmc=4449675 |pmid=26237262 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Fertility is an Equal-Opportunity Issue for Couples – Penn Medicine |url=https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/fertility-blog/2017/july/fertility-equality |access-date=31 August 2020 |website=www.pennmedicine.org |language=en-US}}</ref> now demand equal access to embryonic screening so that their child can be just as healthy as one created through IVF.  Mass use of PGD, especially as a means of [[population control]] or in the presence of legal measures related to population or demographic control, can lead to intentional or [[Unintended consequences|unintentional]] demographic effects such as the skewed live-birth sex ratios seen in China following implementation of its [[one-child policy]].

While PGD was originally designed to screen for embryos carrying hereditary genetic diseases, the method has been applied to select features that are unrelated to diseases, thus raising ethical questions. Examples of such cases include the selection of embryos based on [[histocompatibility]] (HLA) for the donation of tissues to a sick family member, the diagnosis of genetic susceptibility to disease, and [[sex selection]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Damian BB, Bonetti TC, Horovitz DD | title = Practices and ethical concerns regarding preimplantation diagnosis. Who regulates preimplantation genetic diagnosis in Brazil? | journal = Brazilian Journal of Medical and Biological Research = Revista Brasileira de Pesquisas Medicas e Biologicas | volume = 48 | issue = 1 | pages = 25–33 | date = January 2015 | pmid = 25493379 | pmc = 4288489 | doi = 10.1590/1414-431X20144083 }}</ref>

These examples raise ethical issues because of the morality of [[eugenics]]. It becomes frowned upon because of the advantage of being able to eliminate unwanted traits and selecting desired traits. By using PGD, individuals are given the opportunity to create a human life unethically and rely on science and not by [[natural selection]].<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Edwards RG | title = Ethics and moral philosophy in the initiation of IVF, preimplantation diagnosis and stem cells | journal = Reproductive Biomedicine Online | volume = 10 | issue = Suppl 1 | pages = 1–8 | date = March 2005 | pmid = 15819997 | doi = 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)62195-5 | name-list-style = vanc }}</ref>

For example, a deaf British couple, Tom and Paula Lichy, have petitioned to create a deaf baby using IVF.<ref>{{Cite news| vauthors = Lawson D |title=Of course a deaf couple want a deaf child|work=The Independent |date=11 March 2008|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/dominic-lawson/dominic-lawson-of-course-a-deaf-couple-want-a-deaf-child-794001.html|access-date=12 November 2009 | location=London}}</ref> Some [[bioethics|medical ethicists]] have been very critical of this approach. [[Jacob M. Appel]] wrote that "intentionally culling out blind or deaf embryos might prevent considerable future suffering, while a policy that allowed deaf or blind parents to select ''for'' such traits intentionally would be far more troublesome."<ref>{{cite report | vauthors = Appel J | date = 12 March 2009 | title = More 'designer' options. | work = The Winnipeg Sun }}</ref>