The Fertility Institutes reproductive clinics offer a variety of services including, in vitro fertilization, surrogacy, and sex selection. In March 2009, Dr. Jeff Steinberg said the Los Angeles and Manhattan Fertility Institute offices would offer custom genetic selection, allowing parents to choose physical characteristics such as eye and hair color. The procedure is called "pre-implantation genetic diagnosis" or PGD. Dr. Steinberg calls it "cosmetic medicine."FOXNews.com: Want a Blue-Eyed, Blond-Haired Baby Girl? Fertility Clinic Says... (March 3, 2009)
Designer Babies
Dr. Steinberg said his New York and Los Angeles offices will begin offering pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to clients who seek to choose physical traits in their children. Parents will be able to select the color of their baby's hair and eyes. In some cases, a parent may want to manipulate nature in order to avoid possible hereditary conditions like melanoma. In other cases, the procedure may just be a 'cosmetic' choice.BBC News: Designer Baby Row over Us Clinic (March 3, 2009) The controversial technology has drawn criticism by some who fear it may open the doors to eugenics. Others are concerned that embryos deemed 'undesirable' will be destroyed.NY Daily News: Custom-made Babies Delivered: Fertility Clinic Doctor's... (March 3, 2009)
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Fast Facts
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Founded in 1986
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Dr. Jeff Steinberg is the Director of the U.S. Fertility Institutes
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Dr. Steinberg is one of the original scientists who developed In Vitro Fertilization
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Services include assisted reproductive technology, in vitro fertilization, fertility testing, surrogacy, sex selection, clinical trials, pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)
