In a little more than 30 years, prenatal genetic testing has evolved into a routine practice adopted by millions of pregnant women around the world. Still, many people question the practice, citing moral and ethical concerns and raising urgent questions about disability rights and reproductive justice. Supporters defend the technology on the grounds that genetic information about the fetus helps would-be parents make better family planning choices. In their book, Prenatal Genetic Testing, Abortion, and Disability Justice, Amber Knight, Ph.D. and Joshua Miller, Ph.D. challenge that assessment by exploring how genetic testing can actually constrain pregnant women’s options. In an effort to balance a complicated array of factors — including familial, social, and financial support they can reasonably expect to receive — prospective parents must make crucial and compelling decisions about whether or not to raise a disabled child. In an ableist society without institutional support for care work, many pregnant women may be steered toward the “choice” to terminate.┃chess.charlotte.edu

Thursday, Feb. 20; 5:15 p.m. with a light reception at 4:15 p.m.; Atkins Library Halton Room

https://chess.charlotte.edu/community-engagement/lifelong-learning/ps-knight-and-miller/