BBC One has commissioned an hour-long documentary that examines the impact of a new Down’s Syndrome screening test.

The documentary follows actress Sally Phillips, the mother of a child with Down’s Syndrome, as she explores how this test, which is said to detect the extra chromosome in 99 per cent of pregnancies, could influence society.

The program will feature contributions from experts and supporters on both sides of the debate, including children and adults with Down’s Syndrome and professors in the field of genetics.

Earlier this year the National Screening Committee recommended the government make this new genetic screening test for Down’s Syndrome available on the NHS.

The title looks into how this scientific breakthrough could alter the future of Down’s Syndrome at a time when the life expectancy and well-being for those born with the disability continues to improve.

In a world in which prenatal genetic testing is predicted to become routine, the title asks what the future holds for people with disabilities.

Emma Loach, executive producer at Dragonfly, who has been commissioned to make the documentary said: “There couldn’t be a more important time to explore the complex moral and ethical dilemmas at the heart of this debate.

“With developments in the pregnancy screening process and continuing advancements in gene therapy and gene editing, this film sets out to explore all sides of this contemporary issue.”

It is not known yet when the documentary will air.