My Baby: A Life Worth Living?

Director: BBC
Year: 2006
Country: UK
Rating: N/A

Filed under: Eugenics and Genetic Enhancement, Documentary

Candida Harris explores the emotional and practical dilemmas faced by couples desperate for children, yet all too aware of the implications of passing on their disability to their children. Disabled herself, with a 50 percent chance of passing the condition on to her child, Candida speaks to four different women and their families, who find themselves in a similar situation. One couple's only definite way of avoiding passing a condition on to their second child would be to get pregnant, then screen and abort if the condition is detected. The second family has a severe genetic condition which cannot be found during a screening process. Others have knowingly passed on disabilities to their offspring. The film also explores new developments in reproductive technology - in particular, one technique which can produce a baby free of a certain condition. (Aired BBC4, Wednesday 26 April 2006, 21.00; re-broadcast BBC Two, Wednesday 24 May 2006)

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