On clubfeet and Jolie-Pitts

In other genetic news, here is an article on the Gattica-like genetic screening that is coming soon to a clinic near you:

Britain's Sunday Times reported that more than 20 babies had been aborted in advanced stages of gestation between 1996 and 2004 in England because scans showed they had clubfeet. . . .
Another four babies were aborted because they had extra digits or webbed fingers, according to the same story. In 2002, a baby was aborted at 28 weeks because of a cleft palate. Last year, a 6-month-old fetus was aborted when ultrasound revealed that part of a foot was missing, according to the Times.

Of course, even more frightening than the babies killed because of minor "flaws" are the babies killed for simply being:

Since abortion was legalized in 1973, estimates are that some 50 million of them have been performed in the U.S. Of that number, relatively few have been owing to fetal defects as compared to lifestyle concerns, according to a 2004 Alan Guttmacher Institute study.

A little less sci-fi, but just as strange, is this family's racial screening:

"Next we'll adopt," Jolie told CNN in an interview to be aired on Tuesday.

"We don't know which -- which country. But we're looking at different countries. And we're -- I'm just-- it's gonna be the balance of what would be the best for Mad and for Z right now. It's, you know, another boy, another girl, which country, which race would fit best with the kids," she said, referring to her adopted children.

OK, Kids, its time to pick your baby brother. Do you want him to be white? black? Just tell me what would be best for you and mommy will make it happen. At least Jolie is talking about adoption instead of creating her next little one in a test tube, but she does have the attitude and down: Pick out the color, decide which pieces you want to include, and make your perfect baby. Pray that Mad and Z want a little clubfooted British sibling and then Jolie can save a baby who faces the fate discussed in the first article of this post.