I’m sorry if I come off callous or coldhearted, I apologize. I don’t mean to offend Down’s Syndrome children or those parents who make a decision together not to abort.
But it’s not the children I’m ranting about. Or even 20 or 30yo’d mothers. The nurse in me is ranting about the 40yo grown woman in the article in egg-denial, who ignored her doctor’s medical advice, ignored her own age and own physiology, ignored testing - in spite of stacks of research to support her classification as exceptionally high-risk, AND, here comes the wife in me - who didn’t even bother to involve the husband in counseling. Who was she married to? herself?
I don’t see how any of those actions equate to mature or responsible parenting, responsible decision-making within the marriage or responsible preparation for a child highly likely to be born with severe ongoing medical issues, needing both parents fully on board, mentally and financially. There is no reason, in this day and age, for a middle-aged husband to be ‘surprised’.
Genetic counseling for middle-aged couples, prior to pregnancy, done together, followed by timely screening for abnormalities that both parents are made aware of, is as essential for a successful outcome for the child as is testing for incompatible blood types between 18yo potential newlyweds.
Amniocentesis carries a low overall risk - a 1/1,600 chance of spontaneous abortion. Measured against the 1/30 probability of 40yo’s having a DS child, and the 1/6 mortality rate in DS infants during the first year, it’s an acceptable risk to learn exactly what a parent is going to have to deal with.
some non-invasive tests by trimester:
First trimester:
“In the first trimester, ultrasound...Soft markers are findings that... might indicate that the baby has an underlying chromosome abnormality....If your nuchal translucency screening is positive, you will be referred to a genetic counselor”
http://downsyndrome.about.com/od/whatcausesdownsyndrome/a/analytes_ro_2.htm
Second trimester:
“Second Screen is a blood test performed in the second trimester of pregnancy...[and] can detect 7 or 8 out of 10 cases of Down syndrome.
http://www.geneticstesting.com/patient_info/secondscreen_patient.htm
second trimester sonogram markers:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130130101839.htm
third trimester sonogram:
sonographic identification of Down’s Syndrome:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10912971
According to Web MD, the risk that amniocentesis could cause a miscarriage is approximately 1 in 200 to 1 in 400. Even if your false number were correct, no sane person would consider that an acceptable risk to the child just to satisfy the parent’s curiosity over something that would be revealed at birth with no risk to anyone.
http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/amniocentesis?page=3
The entire tone of your posts is sickening. Your disdain of those who God sends who are less than perfect is obvious.
Actually, you are coming off as EVIL.
I dont mean to offend Downs Syndrome children or those parents who make a decision together not to abort.
Regardless of who you "mean" to offend, the fact remains that you are incredibly offensive to God and mankind.
Very odd that you single out the parents who DON'T murder their children.
I dont see how any of those actions equate to mature or responsible parenting,
Please explain how NOT having a child can be "mature or responsible" parenting.
Despite what you hear at your local Big Murder abortuary, parenting NEVER INCLUDES KILLING A CHILD.
I could go on with the rest of your post, but I really don't care why doctors and scientists think it's a good idea to kill babies.
Please do not advocate for abortion on FR for any reason whatsoever. The child is innocent in all cases.
In the General/Chat forum, on a thread titled Doctors respond to parents of Down syndrome newborns with cruelty and callousness, blueplum wrote:
“Genetic counseling for middle-aged couples, prior to pregnancy, done together, followed by timely screening for abnormalities that both parents are made aware of, is as essential for a successful outcome for the child as is testing for incompatible blood types between 18yo potential newlyweds.”
Nonsense. “Genetic Counseling” is a fraud. EVERY time friends of mine have been through that fraud, “abnormalities” have been found. Thankfully they all ignored the “science” and carried the child to term. All but one have been fine, that one is a darling little girl with Down’s - and the happiest child I know.