Story of Selective Abortion following Prenatal Genetic Testing

Abstract

The objective of this research was to describe the experience of selective abortion following prenatal genetic testing in a purposive sample of parents of children with hereditary diseases in order to provide suggestions for nursing in conjunction with genetic testing during pregnancy. The study used methods adapted from hermeneutic phenomenology described by Cohen et al., including participant observations and in-depth interviews. The setting of prenatal genetic testing was observed when three couples to participate at the time after informed consent, and interviewed three times for provided one person of an agreement to participate in a study. Two major themes emerged from these interviews,: the 'breakdown of ties between others' and 'the realization that they had conflicting values concerning disabilities in human beings.' Based on these main themes, narrative was represented, as follows.I. The effect of known genetic diseases1. Discordance between couple2. Differentiation between disabilities3. Looking for the root of genetic disease in a family4. Self-alimentationII. Selecting life1. Tentative fetal presence2. Being torn between negation and affirmation of disabled people3. Dealing with a dilemma: guilty feelings about forgetting the aborted child versus antipathy regarding grief work of the loss4. Meeting with internal eugenic ideaIII. Seeking to repair ties1. The ties between the couple and the family2. The need to lie3. Fear that one's present suffering will again be experienced by future generationsThese results suggest that nurses have to apply care to relationships with clients and their families, as well as society. Moreover, for consistent counseling and care, it is necessary for us to establish new nursing area that integrates genetic, pediatric, obstetric clinic, and the obstetric ward.