User:Iqra Choudhry/sandbox

Defining Terms
The most important thing to distinguish between terms related to genetics and abortion, such as preimplantation and embryo selection, is to define them. Although these actions are different and distinguishable, the ethics behind the three acts are similar and highly debated.

Preimplantation refers to the state of existing or occurring between the fertilization of an ovum and its implementation in the wall of the uterus. It is often referred to embryos that have not yet been implanted in the uterus and this word is commonly used when referring to preimplantation genetic diagnosis. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis is when both parents have a known genetic abrnotmatlity and teting is done on an embryo to determine if it also carries the genetic abnormality. Preimplantation is an IVF specific practice. IVF, or In Vitro Fertilisation, is when mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab and then transferred to a uterus. There are also Preimplantation genetic testing which tests IVF embryos before pregnancy and Preimplantation genetic screening which screens non-IVF embryos for aneuploidy. Aneuploidy is a chromosome mutation in which the number of chromosomes is abnormal and differs from the usual 46 chromosomes.

Embryo selection is very similar to preimplantation in which embryos are tested or diagnosed, but embryo selection involves the act of selecting an embryo which does not have any abnormalities to be later implemented into the wall of the uterus to initiate pregnancy.Embryo screening prevents implantation of embryos that would be carrying chromosomal abnormalities that are likely to cause a pregnancy to abort.

Abortion is more distinguishable than the last two words and more commonly known. An abortion is a procedure to end a pregnancy. Abortion reuires the removal of an emrbyo or a fetus and placenta from the uterus and is done through medicinal or surgical means.

Preimplantation and embryo selection require medical professionals to test chromosomal and genetic defects in the embryo to see if the embryo will be viable when implanted in the uterus. In this process, if an embryo has a genetic defect or chromosomal abnormality, the parents may choose to not implant that embryo in the uterus at which point it is disposed of. An abortion requires the removal of an embryo once it is in the uterus, after which it is disposed of. Some argue that preimplantation and embryo selection are done merely for medical purposes so the uterus and embryo are not harmed while others argue that regardless of embryo health, embryos are living and should not be removed or disposed of. The debate of whether an embryo is a living being or not is a separate one, but it is important to understand how exactly these three words differ.