The case of pre-natal diagnosis

Lesnik-Oberstein, K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4970-0556 (2015) The case of pre-natal diagnosis. In: Lesnik-Oberstein, K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4970-0556 (ed.) Rethinking Disability Theory and Practice: Challenging Essentialism. Palgrave Macmillan, Houndmills, Basingstoke, pp. 6-19. ISBN 9781137456960

Abstract/Summary

This chapter reconsiders critiques of pre-natal diagnosis in Disability Studies. Underlying assumptions about reproductive technologies are analysed to demonstrate that while many critiques of pre-natal diagnosis by Disability activists and theorists are concerned about children being the product of 'choice' through the selective effects of pre-natal diagnosis, the issue that reproductive technologies (such as IVF) themselves necessarily always already rely on 'choice' -- namely the choice for a 'biological' or 'own' child (different terms are used) -- is nowhere considered. The chapter considers several consequences of thinking through this issue and its implications.