Posted on 10/15/2025 11:48:08 PM PDT by Morgana
Editor’s note. We are continuing to post new and old stories celebrating families with children with Down syndrome as a part of October’s Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
When Courtney Baker posted a letter to her former doctor on the Parker Myles Facebook page, I don’t suspect she anticipated thousands and thousands and thousands of responses.
Her letter, written more in sadness than anger, was to the physician who delivered the news that Emersyn, Baker’s unborn daughter, had Down syndrome–and counseled her to abort.
Good Morning America’s Genevieve Shaw Brown says that Baker told her she knew “how important it was going to be to write that letter, before Emmy was even born.” But it took more than a year to compose and mail the letter she’d be thinking about as soon as the doctor told Baker her now 15-month-old daughter would have special needs.
What made hearing the doctor’s advice even worse is that Baker had a friend who was pregnant at the same time and who received the same diagnosis. But the contrast in the physicians’ responses was as stark as it was difficult to hear.
“A doctor told Baker’s friend that her baby was perfect, while Baker’ doctor had a different message for her: He immediately recommended she abort the baby,” reported Kate Irby of the News Observer.
When the woman from Sanford, Florida refused, she said the doctor continued to try to convince her.
“You asked us again if we understood how low our quality of life would be with a child with Down syndrome,” Baker said. “You suggested we reconsider our decision to continue the pregnancy.”
Baker flatly rejected the advice. So why write a letter now? Because she hopes her letter will alter–reconsider– his recommendations the next time he has a patient whose unborn child has Down syndrome.
“Every action from opening and closing the mailbox, to raising the red flag, was closure for me,” Baker told ABC News. “I have no idea how the doctor might have reacted to my letter, but I do have faith that God can work any miracle and He can change any heart.”
What stands out–well, actually the entire letter stands out. For example
From that first visit, we dreaded our appointments. The most difficult time in my life was made nearly unbearable because you never told me the truth. My child was perfect.
Was she angry? Bitter? Baker says no.
I’m really just sad. I’m sad the tiny beating hearts you see every day don’t fill you with a perpetual awe. I’m sad the intricate details and the miracle of those sweet little fingers and toes, lungs and eyes and ears don’t always give you pause. I’m sad you were so very wrong to say a baby with Down syndrome would decrease our quality of life. And I’m heartbroken you might have said that to a mommy even today. But I’m mostly sad you’ll never have the privilege of knowing my daughter, Emersyn.
Her letter concludes
And my prayer is when you see that next baby with Down syndrome lovingly tucked in her mother’s womb, you will look at that mommy and see me then tell her the truth: “Your child is perfect.”
Amen.
Reminds me somewhat of another story once posted here. A doctor had advised a pregnant woman to get an abortion based on some alleged medical issue (of mom, child or both, I can’t remember). Anyway, mom rejected doc’s advice but sent him/her a birthday card every year with a photo of the happy, healthy kid for whom doc had prescribed death.
I’d love to imagine that these tactics shame the doctors and their colleagues into greater respect for human life, but, based on many physicians I’ve known, I’m not terribly optimistic about that. So many of them are soulless sociopaths/psychopaths whom I suspect are secretly thrilled at their powers to dispense death.
I doubt anyone can tell me any other purpose for fetal ultrasound other than for the MD to prescribe murder, and exposing the child to super high energy,
What is really sad is that Dr’s who failed to give that advice were sued for millions and lost.
Doctors and healthcare providers are sued for failing to properly diagnose Down syndrome during prenatal testing. These lawsuits, often called “wrongful birth” claims, are based on the allegation that the parents were not given the necessary information to make an informed decision about continuing a pregnancy. In many cases, families have been awarded substantial compensation to cover the lifelong costs of care for a child with Down syndrome.
In my case, the ultrasounds affirmed that all was ok, but that the babies were Big. I was going to need to schedule C Sections.
But the other thing was the great emotional lift the ultrasounds gave to my spirits. In particular, after the first one, I was full of joy and I don’t think my feet touched the ground for a couple of weeks afterwards. It also turned me radically pro life, as opposed to just tepidly.
Ultrasounds are great, imho. Saving so many lives that abortion clinics don’t want mothers to see them, or they will back out of the procedure.
>> I doubt anyone can tell me any other purpose for fetal ultrasound other than for the MD to prescribe murder
We have nephews — twins — who developed a serious in-utero problem. Fetal ultrasound was an indispensable tool to a) diagnose the problem and b) allow the surgeon to correct the problem, in-utero. Today BOTH are alive, happy and healthy, just entered their teens. Without fetal ultrasound, one or both boys would be dead, and possibly Mom also.
However your point is taken — I’m pretty sure the “killer app” (ghoulish pun intended) for fetal ultrasound is to detect birth defects so the child can be killed, saving the parents from the inconvenience of an “imperfect” child. Or, GOD forbid, a baby that isn’t of the preferred sex.
I wonder if they were advised to abort. Well… in utero surgery is a good reason.
The army hospital where I delivered has U/S financed by DOD - taxpayers they wanted to do regular monthly ultrasounds. The clinic director quite annoyed I refused. She could not give me a medical reason. There wasn’t going to be any in utero surgery
>> I wonder if they were advised to abort.
That’s a good question that I can’t answer. Their hospital was in Austin, but Ob-Gyn physician was local and they are quite Catholic so it would never have even been entertained.
Their prenatal surgeon was a Jewish man — I had the pleasure of meeting him in person when we visited the pound-and-a-quarter little ones. He did the prenatal surgery, and a couple additional surgeries on one of the boys. Surgeon was somewhat cold and detached when we were introduced. But then he picked up one of the little ones to examine him, and the look on his face was pure bright shining love. It was a sight to behold and I’ll never forget it. I’m tearing up as I type this, just remembering. The Spirit of GOD was in that hospital room that day. Jesus loves His little ones!
Grateful mother of daughter with Down syndrome writes open letter to doctor who counseled her to abort
So what is the agenda?
Ya. A neonatal surgeon is not going to be a warm and fuzzy guy unless it comes naturally to him. He doesn’t have to be and has no time to be
I work with doctors. They have little time. No time for any attention to socializing. Not with their patients and not with patients families
The golf driving range I go to is frequented by a class of children with developmental disabilities and they are the sweetest most fun loving angels you could ever hope to meet.
“And my prayer is when you see that next baby with Down syndrome lovingly tucked in her mother’s womb, you will look at that mommy and see me then tell her the truth: “Your child is perfect.”
Yes, that child will most likely be in heaven with Jesus without any personal sins.
I have seen parents that are challenged, but they receive so much love form their child.
God Bless them and their child.
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