Here is a link to another NY Times article discussing the ethical implications of pre-natal tests that allow pregnant women to learn the sex of their unborn children.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/21/sunday-review/if-you-really-really-wanted-a-girl.html
The article focuses on the new tests that allow women to learn the sex of their baby very early during pregnancy, with the concern that this will increase abortions for reasons of sex-selection. The article concludes: “fetal DNA tests for sex determination and other traits present ‘issues that I don’t think many general obstetricians are ready to deal with,’ Dr. [James] Egan [of the University of Connecticut] said. ‘It’s a brave new world.'”
It is hard to understand the moral hand-wringing. Since 1973, abortion has been permissible for any reason at all. It is not clear why abortion for reasons of sex-selection is causing such concern. But this may be an example, such as partial birth abortion, where supporters of abortion rights finally have to come to grips with the reality that abortion takes a human life.
Richard M.