A new IVF service allows couples to select embryos based on predicted traits including intelligence and height, raising ethical concerns about eugenics and the disposal of unselected embryos.
A company called Nucleus IVF+ is marketing technology that allows couples undergoing in-vitro fertilization to select embryos based on predicted characteristics including IQ, height, eye color, and disease risk. The service presents couples with a digital menu of up to 20 embryos, displaying probabilities for various traits, with unselected embryos subsequently discarded. Company founder Kian Sadeghi defended the practice, stating it is “fundamentally about empowering people with information that they can use to give their child the best start in life.”
The technology has drawn criticism for constituting eugenics, the practice of improving genetic quality through selective breeding or elimination. Critics note the service extends beyond screening for serious diseases to include traits like height and intelligence, potentially creating a class divide between “optimized” and naturally conceived children. According to the company’s website, it projects that eventually “four out of 10 parents” in the U.S. will use such genetic optimization.
Bioethicists warn the technology could normalize viewing children’s value through their genetic traits and increase eugenic abortions. The European Institute of Bioethics stated the practice represents “the transhumanist dream of a performance-oriented society where accepting illness and imperfection would seem senseless.” New York City subways have featured advertisements for the service with slogans emphasizing the genetic basis of IQ and height.