Polygenic Embryo Screening: The Promise and Perils of Selecting Our Children’s Traits

Recent advances in genetic screening have made the science fiction allure of choosing our children’s traits ever more possible. Many parents-to-be already screen human embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF) to avoid passing along harmful genetic diseases. However, with the falling cost of genetic sequencing, along with increased understanding of the genetic basis of many characteristics, fertility clinics are starting to offer couples additional technologies. These allow prospective parents to screen embryos before implantation in the womb, to see how likely each one is to develop conditions or traits that depend on many genes, such as schizophrenia, Crohn’s disease, and even high IQs. Some of these applications are quite controversial.

Join Dr. Vardit Ravitsky, host Dr. Insoo Hyun, and instructor Lauren Walsh in this interactive webinar as they wade through the thicket of the promises and perils of polygenic embryo screening.