Pressure to abort for prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis

Destigmatized abortion increases the pressure for women to abort. If abortion is supposed to be a morally neutral option, then it makes sense to expect women to abort if we conceive in difficult circumstances. The circumstances could be conceiving while in poverty or in an abusive relationship, or any number of situations, but the pressure becomes especially clear when we conceive children with disabilities that can be detected prenatally.

For example, when discussing options with a woman who receives a prenatal Down syndrome diagnosis, a significant number of physicians and genetic professionals will self-report that they emphasize the negative aspects of the diagnosis in order to subtly encourage her to abort, or some of them will just straight tell her that she should abort. Similarly, in this study, when genetic counselors talked to women about what options they would have should they receive a prenatal diagnosis, 37% mentioned the option to continue the pregnancy, whereas 86% mentioned the option to abort.

In his recent article on abortion and ableism, Charles Camosy brought up the same problem. Camosy cites several pieces of research regarding ableism in the medical community, notably including the fact that physicians consistently rate the quality of life of their disabled patients worse than the patients themselves do. It is not difficult to imagine how such an outlook would affect physicians advising parents who have never had any particular experience with disability.

We’ve published a couple of accounts from parents, in their own words, about the kind of discrimination and pressure they experienced from the medical community when they did not want to abort their children with Down syndrome. These parents also talk about the comments they received even after their children were born, suggesting they must not have gotten the prenatal test; otherwise, surely, they would have chosen abortion.

This experience, and the frustration and anger over it, is not unique to parents who hold anti-abortion views. This article was written by a woman who supports abortion rights. She talks about the inappropriate questions she received long after her son was born from doctors and therapists and teachers. Essentially, they wonder why, in a world where prenatal testing is common and abortion is accessible and destigmatized, anyone would choose to carry a pregnancy of a child with a disability.

Of course, this line of thought is horribly ableist and dehumanizing to people with disabilities. It also speaks to the kind of stigma women can experience when we don’t want to abort in a society where abortion is morally neutral.

If you are interested in sharing your experience with prenatal screening, please complete this survey. (on link)

“How do you screen for down syndrome? “

In the old days there was Amniocentesis which was very abrasive.

Now there is a blood test called MaterniT 21

From Google

MaterniT 21 Plus is a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) that uses a blood sample from the pregnant woman to screen for fetal chromosomal abnormalities, including trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), trisomy 18, and trisomy 13.
Purpose

To detect fetal chromosomal abnormalities that may lead to developmental disabilities
To provide early information for prenatal counseling and decision-making

Procedure

A healthcare provider will order the test and collect a blood sample from the pregnant woman.

The blood sample is sent to a laboratory for analysis using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology.
Results are typically available within 5-7 days.

Accuracy

MaterniT 21 Plus has a high accuracy rate for detecting trisomy 21, 18, and 13.

The test is over 99% accurate for detecting trisomy 21.
The accuracy may vary depending on factors such as the mother’s age and gestational week.

Results

Results are presented as positive or negative for each chromosomal abnormality.
A positive result indicates that the fetus is likely to have the tested abnormality.
A negative result does not guarantee that the fetus is free of the tested abnormalities.

Additional Information

MaterniT 21 Plus can also detect sex chromosome aneuploidies, such as Turner syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome.

The test is not a diagnostic test and cannot confirm a fetal abnormality.
If a positive result is obtained, further diagnostic testing, such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS), may be recommended.

Cost

The cost of MaterniT 21 Plus varies depending on the provider and location.

It is typically covered by insurance for pregnant women who are at increased risk for chromosomal abnormalities.

Who Should Consider the Test

Pregnant women who are 35 years of age or older
Pregnant women with a family history of chromosomal abnormalities
Pregnant women who have had an abnormal ultrasound result

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.