For years, the Kingston family has dreamed of having a baby. But they want to guarantee their child will not inherit a fatal genetic disorder that runs in their families. Meanwhile, the Moore family has dreamed of having a daughter and hopes to ensure that their baby is a girl. Current medical science could allow both families to have the child they hope for with genetic testing. In some countries, though, the government would not allow the Moore family to use genetic testing to choose the sex of their child, since it is not for medical purposes.

Initially, scientists developed genetic testing to screen for serious genetic disorders. It is common for doctors to offer genetic testing after conception to assess the risk of genetic disorders and to help families prepare for a child with special needs.

Over time, medical science is becoming more advanced. Now, doctors can do genetic testing on embryos in a lab before pregnancy. They can screen embryos for certain genetic traits and only use the ones parents prefer. Families may be able to choose their child’s sex, eye color, and likelihood of having serious disorders. In the future, scientists will likely be able to screen for an even larger range of traits, such as height, level of intelligence, and risk for common health conditions, such as diabetes. Currently, few people actually choose to have embryos tested in a lab before using them, as the procedure is difficult, expensive, and not always successful.

Groups opposed to genetic testing of embryos before pregnancy think people are “playing God” when they use science to choose a baby’s traits. They fear having a baby will soon turn into a shopping trip, as parents create “designer babies” by choosing genes for height, hair color, intelligence, and a tendency toward good health.

Since this type of genetic testing is not standard and is very expensive, some people worry it will widen the gap between rich and poor. Science fiction authors have imagined futures like this, in which genetic testing is common. For example, in the movie Gattaca, people with less-than-perfect genes were denied good jobs and became a lower class of citizens called “Invalids.” Some people think the U.S. needs to regulate genetic testing to prevent this from becoming a reality.

Supporters of genetic testing say that reality is unlikely, and only a few doctors currently use genetic testing to select for traits such as eye color. Most doctors use the procedure only under serious medical circumstances. Supporters argue that genetic testing simply provides families with options.

Countries around the world are dealing with the issue differently. In France, genetic testing is only allowed to be performed by doctors for medical purposes. In the U.S., the government does not regulate genetic testing; only doctors and their patients make decisions about genetic screening.

What do you think? Should families be able to use genetic testing to choose specific traits like height and eye color? Or do you think the government should limit genetic testing?