Having transformed human life, Silicon Valley is now coming for(针对，瞄准) birth. A spate(大量，一连串) of startups offer screening services that allow couples having children via in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) to assess(评估，评价) embryos based on their genetic risk of diseases such as breast cancer and diabetes. Some venture(冒险，敢于去) further into science-fiction territory, providing scores for IQ and height, or even eye and hair colour.
在改变了人类生活之后，硅谷现在又瞄准了生育领域。大量初创公司提供筛查服务，让通过体外受精（IVF）生育的夫妇能够根据胚胎患乳腺癌、糖尿病等疾病的遗传风险进行评估。有些公司甚至更进一步，涉足科幻领域，提供智商、身高甚至眼睛和头发颜色的评分。
Critics are dismayed(沮丧的，惊愕的). Some worry firms are pushing immature technology onto vulnerable couples. Others say that even if the tech works, its use is immoral(不道德的). Both arguments contain kernels of truth; neither is ultimately convincing.(两种论点都有一定道理，但最终都不令人信服。) Banning or heavily restricting embryo screening would be a mistake.
批评者感到沮丧。一些人担心企业将不成熟的技术强加给脆弱的夫妇。另一些人说，即使技术有效，使用它也是不道德的。这两种观点都有一定道理，但最终都不令人信服。禁止或严格限制胚胎筛选将是一个错误。
For now, the debate is a niche(小众的，利基的) concern. The startups mostly cater to(迎合，满足需求) the rich, famous and odd. Yet that will change. A wave of investment means that the cost of IVF is likely to fall. If offered embryo screening at the same time, many couples will take it. One survey suggests that three-quarters of Americans support screening embryos for diseases; about a third say the same for non-disease traits. And that is before competitive pressure kicks in(开始生效，起作用). Who wants to see their child bested by genetically selected classmates?(谁愿意看到自己的孩子被经过基因选择的同学比下去呢？)
目前，这场辩论还只是小众话题。这些初创公司主要迎合富人、名人和怪人。但这种情况将会改变。一波投资意味着试管婴儿的费用可能会下降。如果在同一时间提供胚胎筛选，许多夫妇会接受。一项调查显示，四分之三的美国人支持筛查胚胎疾病；约三分之一的人对非疾病特征持同样态度。而这还是在竞争压力出现之前。谁愿意看到自己的孩子被经过基因选择的同学比下去呢？