Law Commons^™

Gene Therapy: Legal And Ethical Issues For Pregnant Women , Angela Liang

Cleveland State Law Review

The decision to undergo gene therapy in utero for the sake of a fetus should legally rest with the pregnant woman rather than the judiciary or the legislature. Part I of this article provides an overview of the current scope of gene therapy. Part II discusses previous court decisions that either granted or denied petitions for involuntary prenatal intervention. Part III analyzes three reasons why the courts should not impose gene therapy on pregnant women as the technology becomes available. First, a policy that mandates gene therapy would place an undue burden on pregnant women and violate the Equal Protection …