Prenatal Testing of Babies Doesn't Have to End in Abortion, Alternatives Available

Life News ^ | 3/15/08 | Rev. Robert Fleischmann and Michael Klatt

[wagglebee]

LifeNews.com Note: This editorial is a combination of two pieces. One comes from Rev. Robert Fleischmann, the national director of Christian Life Resources. The second piece comes from Michael R. Klatt, the president and CEO of the Lutheran Home Association which provides residential programs for disabled people.

Prenatal testing, originally designed as a precautionary measure to identify potential problems in the early stages of pregnancy, allowed for corrective measures to be taken to ensure a healthier pregnancy and child. With the legalization of abortion in the United States in 1973, the testing took on a more sinister purpose.

Some of these prenatal tests were used to also encourage abortion. The pro-life community called these "search-and-destroy" tests. Specifically, the prenatal test is used to diagnose an unborn child's potential malady and allow the mother the option to abort that child.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecology (ACOG) has led the medical community in the advocacy of abortion. For that reason, it did not come as a surprise to find ACOG's wholehearted endorsement of "search-and-destroy" testing.

Recent action in the state of Minnesota prompted Mike Klatt of The Lutheran Home to issue a letter to area pastors warning about the aggressive actions of the medical community in the pursuit of search-and-destroy testing.

Mike did a great job articulating the concern about these developments. Rather than a repeat of what he said, Mike granted me permission to share the text of his letter. Please read it carefully and alert your members about this concern.

For more information you can also search the CLR website on this topic and all other life and family issues that we address.

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Dear Pastors and Congregations,

Over the past year, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star-Tribune newspaper reported that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists now recommends offering a new Down syndrome screening to every pregnant woman.

The Tribune also reported that many parents, once informed that their child would be born with this condition, selected to have an abortion. One article noted that in England and in some major U.S. cities, nearly 90 percent of parents who received this information aborted the child.

We have two concerns to address in regard to this alarming trend.

These test results are not always reliable.

We are aware of parents who have confirmed that although they were told that their child would have Down syndrome, the child was born with no disabilities. These "false positive" reports undergird our concern.

While testing may be of benefit in helping parents prepare for the birth of a child possibly having Down syndrome; clearly, the results from this new, routine test should be viewed with some reservation.

Using these results to abort a child is against God's will.

We note with great sadness that our society continues to trample on the Bible's teaching. It is especially disconcerting that the need of people with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities to hear the Gospel of salvation is so blatantly denied.

The Lutheran Home Association (TLHA) provides residential programs and services for individuals with developmental disabilities. In addition, we offer Jesus Cares Ministries to help congregations reach out to persons with developmental disabilities who live in their communities.

As an advocate in our Synods for persons with developmental disabilities, we felt it is critical to address this emerging issue and to help you make your members more aware of it.

Included with this letter is a new Bible study that addresses the prenatal testing and abortion of persons with developmental disabilities. The Bible study is entitled Prenatal Genetic Screening: "How Does A Christian Respond? A Life Issues Bible Study." [Contact The Lutheran Home directly to obtain this Bible study. Their contact information can be found at www.tlha.org or in the WELS Yearbook.]

We encourage you to hold a special Bible study on this topic for your congregation. Please consider discussing this issue with your confirmation classes and high school youth groups. Please also consider addressing the topic in your congregational newsletter and bulletin. A guide for the discussion leader is available upon request.

If you call us, we will send it by return email in either a Word or RTF format, or we can send a paper copy. We also have a limited number of DVDs entitled "Celebrating Life with Down Syndrome" (produced by Band of Angels in partnership with Walt Disney Music Company). This 13-minute video is an excellent introduction to the Bible study or it could be shown at any time to promote discussion of this issue.

We cannot emphasize enough the growing societal acceptance of aborting a child who may have a disability. We ask that you and your congregation pray about this issue. We ask God to redirect parents and the medical community to turn to God's Holy Word regarding the value God places on every life.

Thank you again for your time today in reading this letter. If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact Pastor Dallas Miller, Director of Spiritual Services, or me.

[wagglebee]

While testing may be of benefit in helping parents prepare for the birth of a child possibly having Down syndrome; clearly, the results from this new, routine test should be viewed with some reservation.

Using these results to abort a child is against God's will.

We note with great sadness that our society continues to trample on the Bible's teaching. It is especially disconcerting that the need of people with Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities to hear the Gospel of salvation is so blatantly denied.

Perfect explanation!

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[G Larry]

>We are aware of parents who have confirmed that although they were told that their child would have Down syndrome, the child was born with no disabilities. These “false positive” reports undergird our concern.<

It is important to understand how a couple arives at the decision to have the baby, after being told of the possibility the child may have Down Syndrome.
It is not always a “mutual decision”.
I’m personally aware of a case where the father wanted to abort, but the mother refused.
The baby was born perfectly fine, in every way!
How do you suppose that affects that father every day?
How do you suppose that has affected their marriage?
Can you imagine that every time you look at your child, you must face the fact that you didn’t want them to be born?

[montag813]

The mother of Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow was urged by her physician (2nd and 3rd opinions as well) to abort him because of a “dangerous threat” to her health. She refused. The rest is history.

[wagglebee]

Women are being advised to abort their babies if prenatal tests show that they will have club feet. Troy Aikman, Mia Hamm and Kristi Yamaguchi all did great despite being born with club feet.

[tbw2]

My daughter was born with clubbed feet. Completely orrected before she was 18 months old.
Compared by my son’s asthma, which can’t be prenatally diagnosed, her condition was a snap and easy to fix!

[grellis]

How do you suppose that affects that father every day? How do you suppose that has affected their marriage? Can you imagine that every time you look at your child, you must face the fact that you didn’t want them to be born?

What was Jesus doing up on that cross? I don't think it had to do with the view.

[steadfastconservative]

Underlying the ACOG’s decision to recommend this unnecessary test for every pregnant woman is their desire to allow doctors to avoid any liability for “wrongful birth,” that is, for overlooking any defects in unborn children and then being sued later by parents who would have aborted those children if they had known that there was something wrong. Of course, this doesn’t justify using prenatal testing as a kind of “search and destroy” tool. It’s too bad the ACOG thinks that protecting doctors from lawsuits is more important than protecting human life.

[Albion Wilde]

I’m personally aware of a case where the father wanted to abort, but the mother refused.
The baby was born perfectly fine, in every way!
How do you suppose that affects that father every day?
How do you suppose that has affected their marriage?

I agree; the fact that abortion is "on the table" in society tempts some people to mention it; and the words can't be withdrawn. I can also personally attest to two divorces I know of in which one partner's suggestion of aborting a pregnancy within the marriage figured into the breakdown.

[metmom]

Not to mention the number of cases where prenatal testing has given WRONG results.

Heck, they didn’t even get the gender of one of my kids right from a sonogram more than halfway through the pregnancy.

[Pinkbell]

I read a recent case where a woman was diagnosed as having an ectopic pregnancy. They urged her to abort, saying the child would not survive anyway, and there would be risk to her health. She reluctantly took the drug to abort. She then found out that the ultrasound was read incorrectly, and the baby was perfectly fine. She wanted the child saved, but they were unable to. She and her husband are suing.

[8mmMauser]

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