Ethical Considerations & Treatments
There are many ethical debates that are present on the subject of diagnosis of chromosomal disorders. These have arisen for the testing method of prenatal diagnosis, which is the gathering of a karyotype of a foetus inside of the pregnant mother. One of the benefits of this method is being given the knowledge of which conditions the foetus might acquire in its life and to be prepared for the challenges this would bring. An ethical consideration is that for some people, the knowledge of the condition might mean that a parent may choose for the foetus to be aborted. While this decision is reliant upon the personal or religious beliefs of the parents and the laws that govern such procedures, it has to be acknowledged that there may be alternative treatments available. To terminate a life primarily because it will face physical and emotional challenges in the future is also regarded as illegal in most states of Australia.
In Vitro Fertilisation:
Research has shown, that males diagnosed with KS may have the opportunity to father children by participating in In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) when they and their partner are hoping to begin a family. Some studies have found that men with KS can have viable sperm extracted from the testes, which can be later injected directly into an ovum. IVF provides the opportunity for males who had previously thought that they were sterile to be able to father offspring. IVF, as do procedures like amniocentesis, require the individual, the partner and their families to consider their personal ethical and religious view-points on such invasive medical procedures prior to making a decision. Please visit the KS Support page on this site for links to counselling and support groups.
Other options that provide the opportunity for males to father offspring once diagnosed with KS is to have their sperm cryogenically frozen during adolescence, however, research is still progressing in this field and as per other procedures listed here, be subject to personal and religious ethical considerations.
In Vitro Fertilisation:
Research has shown, that males diagnosed with KS may have the opportunity to father children by participating in In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) when they and their partner are hoping to begin a family. Some studies have found that men with KS can have viable sperm extracted from the testes, which can be later injected directly into an ovum. IVF provides the opportunity for males who had previously thought that they were sterile to be able to father offspring. IVF, as do procedures like amniocentesis, require the individual, the partner and their families to consider their personal ethical and religious view-points on such invasive medical procedures prior to making a decision. Please visit the KS Support page on this site for links to counselling and support groups.
Other options that provide the opportunity for males to father offspring once diagnosed with KS is to have their sperm cryogenically frozen during adolescence, however, research is still progressing in this field and as per other procedures listed here, be subject to personal and religious ethical considerations.
This video shows the extraction of sperm from the testicles to be used for an IVF procedure
Amniocentesis Process:
Amniocentesis is a prenatal procedure that doctors may recommend during pregnancy. The test checks for foetal abnormalities (birth defects) such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis or spina bifida. XXY syndrome can be found using this technique but is usually not the target for testing.
The process requires a long needle to extract a small amount of amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac that the baby is suspended in. See diagram below:
Amniocentesis is a prenatal procedure that doctors may recommend during pregnancy. The test checks for foetal abnormalities (birth defects) such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis or spina bifida. XXY syndrome can be found using this technique but is usually not the target for testing.
The process requires a long needle to extract a small amount of amniotic fluid from the amniotic sac that the baby is suspended in. See diagram below:
This is a controversial procedure as there are multiple risks that can happen. Some of these include:
- Less than a 1% chance of a miscarriage
- Injury to the mother or foetus
- Infection
- Pre-term labour