August 1, 2007 11:14 PM
Prenatal testing for Down syndrome demands better information for parents
The push for prenatal testing for Down syndrome for women of all ages is very worrisome to mothers of kids like mine. currently 90% of babies diagnosed prenatally are aborted. The feeling is that this is due in large part to pressure from professionals - or at the very least because of a negative attitude and lack of information which might lead mothers to make a different choice.
I know many readers here have confided that after seeing and hearing what a wonderful and rewarding addition to a family a child with DS can be, they no longer have that culturally-induced fear as they begin their subsequent pregnancies. I am grateful to hear that.
Parents are stepping up efforts to raise public awareness of the positive aspects of raising a child with Down syndrome.
New York Times videos: Down syndrome and Difficult Diagnosis
CBN report (and video clip): The Blessing of a Down Syndrome Child
Also, on the legislative front, in the politics-makes-strange-bedfellows department:
Senators Brownback and Kennedy Team Up to Support Mothers of Disabled Children
While Senator Brownback is unequivocally pro-life, Kennedy has always been a big supporter of "a woman's right to choose" (I always shudder at the unspoken part of that sentence - "death for her baby"). I can only guess that this uncharacteristic position on Ted's part is because the Kennedy clan had a sister with a mental disability.
And isn't that the way it is? A personal circumstance can change even the most callous heart in a small way, at least.
Many thanks to Gloria Huerta and Noelle Quero (Jaden's Journal)for parts of this report.
Posted in Disabilities, Down syndrome | Permalink
Comments
This is such an important issue. I am a firm believer in prenatal testing for myself. I would want to know about any abnormalities so that I could best prepare myself, and educate myself about the care of my baby. It is so sad that these tests are used to issue babies their death warrants in so many cases.
Posted by: Katy | August 2, 2007 2:03 PM
I am sensitive to this issue for other reasons; when I was pregnant, my water broke at 20 weeks, and doctor after doctor *pushed* abortion on us. They had us in tears, saying our baby would suffocate at birth - and if she didn't, that she'd be severely disabled.
Even after we said "no," that we were putting our child in God's hands, all but one of my doctors kept saying, "We think you should terminate this pregnancy."
Well, our daughter was born at 25 weeks gestation and is now a perfectly healthy, happy child. It's chilling to realize many doctors believe babies are dispensable. Unfortunately, many other people I've met have been so freaked out by their doctor's negative statistics about their unborn child, they gave in and had an abortion...
Posted by: Kristina | August 2, 2007 2:48 PM
On one hand, I'd like the prenatal screening so I can be better prepared if I do give birth to a child with DS. On the other hand, I'm not going to abort the child, so I think the test is a waste of money and time for me.
On yet another hand, when I was young girl, my church's youth pastor and his wife finally got pregnant and the test came back that the child had DS and they told her to abort the baby. She blatantly refused and the child did not have DS or another other mental or physical or chromosomal disabilities.
I definitely don't like the pressure some and I'd dare say many doctors and specialists put on us.
Posted by: ladyscott | August 3, 2007 8:31 PM
