#Reproduction

A new wave of technological advances promises parents a chance to have “high-quality” families by screening embryos for optimal genetic health, but current research and social debate show that the quest for genetic perfection may come at significant ethical, cultural, and emotional costs. As genetic screening companies like Orchid promote the ability to select embryos free from a wide array of health risks, a chorus of bioethicists, parents, and social critics warn that this trend risks making children into consumer products and overlooks the unpredictability—and inherent value—of imperfect human lives (The Dispatch).

Recent advances in genetic screening give parents the option to choose embryos based on health profiles. While this could reduce certain illnesses, experts warn that chasing genetic perfection may bring ethical, cultural, and emotional costs for families and society. In Thailand, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is increasingly offered as an add-on in IVF, shifting the conversation from possibility to broader questions about value, diversity, and compassion.

Thailand stands at a crossroads of medical tourism and evolving social norms around family and reproduction. Policymakers and communities must weigh technological capability against cultural values, social equity, and acceptance of difference.