Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- 2 On the definition of intellectual disability?
- 3 Epidemiology of intellectual disability
- 4 Prevention of intellectual disability: general issues
- 5 Prenatal diagnosis and screening
- 6 Genetic counselling
- 7 Why should intellectual disability be prevented?
- 8 Moral status and intellectual disability
- 9 The ethics of prevention in practice: three syndromes
- 10 Conclusion
- References
- Index
10 - Conclusion
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 09 August 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction
- 2 On the definition of intellectual disability?
- 3 Epidemiology of intellectual disability
- 4 Prevention of intellectual disability: general issues
- 5 Prenatal diagnosis and screening
- 6 Genetic counselling
- 7 Why should intellectual disability be prevented?
- 8 Moral status and intellectual disability
- 9 The ethics of prevention in practice: three syndromes
- 10 Conclusion
- References
- Index
Summary
At the beginning of this book I presented four cases. Now it is time to return to these cases and draw some conclusions. But first, a brief summary of the case presentations.
In Case 1 Sarah and Tom have just heard the results of the serum screening test, according to which Sarah's risk for carrying a foetus with Down syndrome is 1 in 150. Now they have to decide whether they wish to have an accurate diagnosis by amniocentesis, which, however, increases slightly the risk of miscarriage. The nurse at the maternity clinic is sympathetic but refuses to answer Sarah's question about how she would decide if she were in a similar situation.
In Case 2 Tina and Harry are expecting their first child. Tina has a younger brother who has fragile X syndrome and is mildly intellectually disabled. Tina is a carrier of the syndrome and knows that the probability for intellectual disability in her possible future offspring is considerable. Tina is more positive than Harry about the idea of continuing pregnancy with a male foetus with fragile X syndrome.
The first two cases were fictional, although they could very well be true. Case 3 is real and takes us from the individual to the community level: How should health authorities in eastern and northern Finland respond to the suggestion that testing for the AGU (aspartylglucosaminuria) gene were introduced to routine maternity care?
Case 4 is also real, and, in fact, it is a very famous one.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Preventing Intellectual DisabilityEthical and Clinical Issues, pp. 153 - 158Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2003