Have you guys seen the movie Gattaca? Well a growing number of couples have been using pre-implantation genetic diagnosis or PGD to detect a genetic predisposition of an embryo to health risks like cancer and genetic defects.

Parents who want to benefit from PGD must first undergo the same in vitro fertilization process that infertile couples turn to. Eggs from mommy are fertilized by sperm form daddy in a petri dish. When the resulting embryos are three days old, doctors analyze the DNA. Only embryos without the defective genes they are looking for are considered as candidates for implantation into mommy's uterus. Basically, parents are starting to test all their "kids" on a petri dish before they decide if they want to continue having them.

The process is both expensive and difficult. The out-of-pocket costs alone often exceed $25,000. Also, due to the fact that embryos are selected for their genetic status instead of which embryos are healthiest, the chances for the embryo to successfully develop is less. There is still the concern that the removal of a cell from a three day old embryo can cause long term problems.

Despite the costs and the dangers, more and more future-minded couples are signing up for the process. Some couples have said that the mere probability that their children can have a future that is free from cancer far outweigh the costs. It's not just cancer; inherited defects such as predispositions towards tumors, arthritis, and obesity can be curbed.

Critics fear that PGD could eventually become a genetic class divide between the rich and the poor. "From a technology perspective we can test anything," said Mark Hughes, director of the Genesis Genetics Institute in Detroit. "The issue becomes what is considered serious enough to warrant such testing and who decides that." Scientists are currently considering if this is a 'wonderful thing' or if it is genetic engineering.

Well, what do you guys think? One step towards Gattaca, or a blessing for all those families plagued by inherited health problems?