This document discusses eugenics, which aims to improve the genetic composition of populations. It was coined by Francis Galton in 1883 from the Greek words for "good" or "well" and "born." Eugenics involves selective breeding and reproductive choices to achieve societal goals like decreasing hereditary disease and improving health. Both positive eugenics, which encourages reproduction among genetically advantaged groups, and negative eugenics, which aims to reduce fertility among genetically disadvantaged groups, have been proposed. However, negative eugenics is now widely considered immoral. Other eugenic measures discussed include genetic counseling, marriage restrictions, birth control, early diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and segregation of mentally ill individuals. The

1. EUGENICS
BY
NISHA .P
NURSING TUTOR

2. INTRODUCTION
 This word Eugenics was coined by Francis Galton in
1883.this has been derived from Greek word .
 Eu – good or well
 Genes – born
In a broader sense ,it is considered as study of
improving the genetic qualities
In 1904 Francis Galton gave the definition of
eugenics
Eugenics is defined as the science which
deals with all influences that improves inborn
qualities of race.

3. contd..
 British medical association
Eugenics is defined as the study and
practice of method designed to
improve the quality of the race
especially selective breeding .This
involves in reproductive choices in
order to obtain societal goal.

4. Concern of Eugenics
 Decrease hereditary disease
 Improve the health status of the people or
community
 Create awareness by educating through
eugenic measures

5. GOALS
To improve the genetic composition of population
AIMS OF EUGENICS
 To save the resources
 to create healthy people in the community
 To have intelligent people and to have the community
free from mentally retarded people
 To decrease the human sufferings
 To reduce the economic burden on nation due to the
disease.

6. EUGENIC MEASURES
POSITIVE EUGENICS:
positive eugenics encourages reproduction among
genetically advantaged population .various ways of positive
eugenics in vitro fertilization, Egg transplant and cloning.
Positive eugenics is difficult to achieve due to:
1. Complexity of traits
2. Multifactorial of traits
3. Unawareness regarding which gene to be transmitted or
which not to be transmitted
(ie) which gene which quality, as number of genes are
appropriate 50,000 coming from mother and 50,000 from father.

7. Negative eugenics
 It concerned with decreasing or lowering fertility among
genetic disadvantages
 The various way of negative eugenics are
1.Abortion
2. Sterilisation
3. Adoption of Family planning
The various ways of negative eugenics stress on improving
the genetic endowment of the population by killing the
persons having weak and defective genes

8. Negative eugenics is considered
immoral
 Enforces the sterilisation among genetically
defect people
 Allows to kill institutional population
Eugenic focus on :
1. Euthenics
2. Genetic counselling
3.Marriage Restrictions
4.Birth control
5. Early diagnosis and treatment
6. Segregation of mentally ill from normal

9. EUTHENICS
 Euthenics is manipulating the environment in
order to improve the genotype. As the
environmental factors are involved such as
smoking, diet, obesity and lack of exercise is
producing disease
 A man is adopting environment ,it is considered
that improving genotype.
 Specific protective measures can also be used to
reduce the risk of disease due to expose of
mutogens. eg. UV rays
 Lead aprons exposed to X-rays or radiation reduce
the risk of mutation reducing morbidity and
improving health.

10. GENETIC COUNSELLING
 It Includes screening of cases and informing them the
risk of having affected children.
 Genetic counselling is one of the way to prevent the
occurrence of hereditary disease among the population.
 It involves information various ways of eugenics to
people reduce further occurence.
 Information is provided by the nurse regarding the
correction of disease ,prognosis and burden of care.
 Information is provided by the community health nurse
during antenatal period to detect neonatal abnormalities
and neurological disorders by aminocentesis.
 The information provided by the nurse regarding the
birth control measures helps in achieving the community
health.

11. MARRIAGE RESTRICTIONS
 Marriage among the individuals with sufferings
like congenital abnormalities Mental retardation,
gout, thalassemia, sickle cell anemia increase
the risk of defective children.
 Consanguineous marriage can cause increased
risk in the off springs of the recessive traits.
 Late marriage increase the risk of genetic
disease such as down syndrome
 Community health nurse should aware of the
marriage occuring among the close family
relations.

12. BIRTH CONTROL
 The is to reduce the frequency of
hereditary disease and disability in the
community.
 Community health nurse teaches the
community for adaption of birth control
measures.
 Temporary and permanent methods to
reduce the occurrence of hereditary
disease.

13. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND
TREATMENT
 Identifying the possibility of
chromosomal abnormalities ,when fetus is
in uterus by amniocentesis performed
within 10 -14 weeks of pregnancy.
 Screening the babies ,once born for same
disease as cystic fibrosis phenylketonuria
,dislocation of hip.
 Early detection of cases who suffering
from disease such as gout ,thalassemia
etc.

14. SEGREGATION OF MENTALLY
ILL FROM NORMAL
 There is need to segregate the
mentally ill child among community .
 Mentally ill persons who lives in
community get married ,off spring
will have abnormal genes and lead to
more of hereditary disease among the
community.

15. APPLICATION OF
EUGENICS
Government level :
 Government should make polices and legislation to
achieve health community through eugenics
,implemented and evaluated to see the effect.
Population level:
 Eugenics should be promoted among general population
through education using democratic approach.
At individual level:
• Eugenics should be practised by an individual on basis
of the decision.

16. ROLE OF COMMUNITY
HEALTH NURSE
1. She provides education to people about
the hereditary risk for developing the
disease.
2. She managed the disease based on
genetic information and analysis of
data.
3. Identify the hereditary disease and
motivate them to seek medical
treatment.
4. She provide genetic counselling to the
people and teach eugenic methods
,birth control and marriage restrictions