Genetically defective children: emerging legal considerations.

Despite modern medical advances, births of genetically defective children still occur. The author outlines the problem of genetic disease, and describes the medical and legal advances that now make possible a reduction in its incidence. Then she cites--and briefly comments upon--some court cases brought by parents of genetically defective children against their physicians for allegedly failing to predict or to diagnose genetic defects in those children in time for the parents to exercise any procreative options such as sterilization, contraception, or abortion. In addition, the author speculates on various questions that may arise in future litigation in this area--among them, the question of whether or not courts someday will endow genetically defective children with a cause of action against their parents for bringing them into the world.