DNA And Mutations Down Syndrome Summary

I. Summary
I read the NYT articles called: DNA and Mutations, Down syndrome, and Ethics Questions Arise as Genetic Testing of Embryos Increases. To summarize all of the readings, I believe it would be essential to start with the DNA and Mutations article. In the article DNA and Mutations, scientists have found two different genetic occurrences in multiple individuals bodies called, mosaicism and chimerism. Chimerism involves a single organism who contains genetically distinct cells, which most likely come from a twin or a parent/ fetus. Mosaicism is when a single organism has two different genotypes within their body. The article explains this phenomenon through instances found on accident. But these incidences no longer have to be found accidentally. Genome mapping can detect these seemly rare occurrences, and it can also help families detect genetic diseases. An example of catching a genetic disease is in the article, Ethics Questions Arise as Genetic Testing of Embryos Increases. A woman in the article has a rare disease called GSS, which is a neurological disorder, giving the recipient a slow and painful death. But to end this genetic …show more content…
An example of this is explained in the article Down syndrome. According to the article, the common misconception is that people who have Down syndrome do not go on to have fulfilling lives compared to those who do not have the disorder. However, the author of the article argues that 99% of those who have Down syndrome state that they are satisfied with life. The author also examines interviews of those whom are close to people who have Down syndrome and state that their lives are more fulfilling knowing a person who has the disorder. Thus raising the question, is it ethical to abort fetuses if they are diagnosed with a seemingly life altering