ABSTRACT
The development of various methods of detecting genetic diseases in a fetus, or even predicting genetic diseases before conception, can be looked at from various angles. This chapter intentionally leaves aside the rather moral considerations and confines itself to providing a broad international overview of the law as it stands in relation to genetic counselling. Admittedly, this approach is not and cannot be an absolute one. It is a commonplace that the law reflects moral concepts of societies. While acknowledging this function of the law, this chapter does not attempt to give an account of the moral considerations behind each legal aspect. Hence, moral considerations will be part of the legal analysis only where they directly influence the legal outcome of a claim.
