Vitro - Fertilization by Carlie Wilson

Carlie Wilson

February 28, 2017

Throughout this week in English, our class has been preparing for our scientific debates. Many social issues were debated, such as animal testing, the use of GMOs, and the practice of genetic manipulation of human embryos. My group was given the topic of genetic embryo manipulation. Being that I was a cross examiner, I was not able to share all of my ideas and opinions on the matter. After doing thorough research and reading potential consequences, I was able to quickly determine that I was against the technology that could possibly change the human race in devastating ways. In the process of vitro- fertilization the parent of the unborn child will be able to choose the embryos that are implanted into them. Although there are many positive outcomes of IVF, including the ability to treat inevitable diseases in a child, the negatives clearly outweigh the good.
If the process of IVF is abused, the human race can be facing a huge social divide. An IVF or “designer baby” procedure can cost up $100,000. According to the 2014 bureau census, the average income for an American family is about $51,939. That means that the cost of a designer baby can cost over double the amount of a family's yearly income. Households with the privilege of having a designer baby will not only be able to choose desired physical features, but they will also have access to high IQ genes and practical personality traits. Thus, making it easier for them to have more life opportunities such as jobs and college acceptances. Today, America is already divided into the lower class, middle class, and high class. With the use of IVF to choose embryos, America will be divided into two clear groups. People who can afford a pleasurable lifestyle and those who can’t.
Social hierarchy is not the only possible negative effect of IVF. In 2011, the Global Religious Landscape conducted a breakdown of the world’s religious beliefs based on 2,500 international censuses. Of the 7.12 billion living humans on this earth, 5.8 billion people affiliate themselves with a religious denomination believing in at least one god, which means that 84% of the world’s population believes that creating life is reserved for a higher power. This also means that over half of the world’s population would argue that genetic manipulation is a form of mimicking god or as the Washington Post would say “playing god”. With the option of IVF to essentially make humans, billions of people around the world will be threatened of their religions that date all the way back to 1800 B.C.E.
Another issue worth mentioning is overpopulation. Genetic modification would ensure babies a healthy life which would increase their life expectancy. For every two deaths there are four births which means that the human race is already rapidly producing more humans compared the amount of humans that die each day. By expanding a human’s  average life expectancy of 67 years, the world can expect a social crisis and a devastating economic decline. Starting with the decrease of water and food sources all the way down to the inability to control political aspects such as crime and ability to govern the people.
The points that I have brought up are the few of the many concerns that the human race should consider before legalizing vitro-fertilization for non-medical reasons. Unfortunately, not every person on this earth will be able to live a good quality life, but is it our job to change the fate of an unborn baby? Is it ethical to essentially plan out a life depending on a group of people’s opinions? I hope that the world understands the many dangers of the future IVF technology that will change human society forever.