Doctors Group Suggests More Prenatal Testing, Could Lead to Abortions

Life News ^ | 1/2/06 | Steven Ertelt

[wagglebee]

"The doctor urged us to think about the termination and how having a baby with "mental retardation" would affect our lives," she said. "He listed only the potential negatives about Down syndrome, without giving us any information to read for a more balanced view."

The culture of death wants to kill anyone who doesn't fit their elitist mold.

[wagglebee]

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[MeanWestTexan]

I think it is more about selling more expensive tests than anything.

This test has false positives all day long, so they sell you ultra-sounds and aminos.

But as Mrs. MWT wisely concluded after a big time serious scare --- while being hard-core pressed for more tests, which we ultimately resisted --- "And what would we do with that information?!"

[narses]

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[workerbee]

....her doctor's advice to have an abortion at 35 weeks into the pregnancy.

My stomach is turning. For all intents and purposes, in this day and age, this a FULL TERM child. That an M.D. was recommending abortion at this late date.... imagine your pediatrician recommending you put a knife into the heart of your 2 month old infant. No discernible difference.

[frogjerk]

But the 35 year-old rejected her doctor's advice to have an abortion at 35 weeks into the pregnancy.

Lord, please change the hearts of those who worship moloch.
Amen.

[Interesting Times]

But as Mrs. MWT wisely concluded after a big time serious scare --- while being hard-core pressed for more tests, which we ultimately resisted --- "And what would we do with that information?!"

Exactly. If amnio has a 1% chance of killing your unborn baby, and if you aren't planning to terminate the pregnancy under any circumstances, there is no rational argument for having the procedure done.

[TheRedSoxWinThePennant]

As a physician I will admit this is a tough one. During an intership in Boston I remember an jewish couple who had a positive Tasachs test. A certain death sentence for the child. I wouldnt recommend an Abortion though. I know more than one couple who were told the baby was going to be DOA on arrival and they kept it full term. Both were being born without a skull. It was heartbreaking but I remember how amazingly in awe I was of the couple to go through such an ordeal. That said one must remember. Professors in your leading medical schools tend to be on the flaming liberal side. So many young student are indoctrinated from the get go and I could see many pushing for a termination.

[agrace]

Ugh, nuchal translucency test - tells you that you have a CHANCE of downs syndrome, NOTHING definitive. From this article -

Remember that this test doesn't directly test for chromosomal problems — it just gives you a better idea of your baby's statistical likelihood of having a problem. A normal result (sometimes called "screen negative") isn't a guarantee that your baby is normal, but it suggests that a chromosomal problem is unlikely. And an abnormal result (sometimes called "screen positive") doesn't mean that your baby has a chromosomal problem — just that he's more likely to have one. In fact, most "screen positive" babies turn out to be normal.

I tested positive for one of these screens (not sure if it was this exact test or not) with my second child; was told I should have an amnio to definitively determine whether there was a problem. I said no because it wouldn't change whether we'd have the baby or not. My son was perfect.

[surrey]

Our family doctor ,who happens to be one of our best friends ,is not an advocate of Down's Syndrome testing. If you want the test and know what you would do if it's positive...fine. He feels that very often women test positive when the opposite is true. Unless you would definitely abort a Down's baby he says go with your instincs.

[CottShop]

Could lead to increased abortions? It absolutely WILL lead to higher murders of children- The ONLY saving grace is that these children will immediately be in heaven where these pukes who murder them can't hurt them anymore!!! http://sacredscoop.com

[catroina54]

my only concern is that further down the road,in the not-so-distant future---will they refuse to give prenantal care to those that refuse these tests/refuse to give care to "handicapped"infants ,that by their guidelines shouldda been aborted,etc. etc.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Twenty years ago, a secular-Jewish feminist writer, Barbara Katz Rothman, wrote an excellent book called The Tentative Pregnancy, expressing concern that the trend toward prenatal testing actually compromises our welcome of ALL babies, "perfect" and "imperfect."

She said that a medical culture which pushes hostile surveillance of babies in the womb, also encourages mothers not to bond with their little ones. Mothers are encouraged to hedge their commitment to their own children, pending the final vetting of the reproductive product.

Rothman was in a strange position, because as a good feminist she felt she had to be in favor of abortions for any and every reason; but underneath, she was a decent person who was repulsed by the cold-heartedness of evaluating our children this way, making all acceptance of the child partial, conditional, delayed,calculating, and cold.

And then what happens if the baby passes all the tests and gets born, and then manifests some difficulty or disability in the days, weeks, or months after birth? What do you do? Ring quality control? Schedule a cubside solid-waste pick-up?

The book was written 20 years ago. I wonder what Rothman thinks now?

[peggybac]

"my only concern is that further down the road,in the not-so-distant future---will they refuse to give prenantal care to those that refuse these tests/refuse to give care to "handicapped"infants ,that by their guidelines shouldda been aborted,etc. etc."

That was my thought as well. I can see all insurance and prenatal care on the mom and baby halted once mom says no to any tests. This whole thing just makes me sick.

[tiki]

The daughter of a close friend had that preliminary test and it was positive for Down's Syndrome, they immediately wanted her to take the amnio and she hadn't decided whether she wanted to even take it. They actually called her several times to hurry up her decision so she could get an abortion. She told them that it didn't matter because she wasn't getting an abortion anyway.

She did have a Down Syndrome son, he's 4 now and he's wonderful. We figure that that extra chromosome contains the happy gene.

[Former Fetus]

more frequent testing would give some mothers and parents peace of mind while allowing others to get earlier medical help for their unborn child.

Since when is abortion considered medical help?

[wagglebee]

Since when is abortion considered medical help?

Abortion, euthanasia, forced starvation and dehydration -- the culture of death feels they have the right to decide that anyone should be put to death any time they so decree.

[PistolPaknMama]

Green's obstetrician informed her that her child would grow up to be "mentally retarded"

How does someone "grow up" to be mentally retarded? Were they born mentally retarded, or just became that way while going through puberty? What a dumb and deadly diagnosis of a patient that has not even been exhaustively evaluated.

[srmorton]

What bothers me about this is that there is NO 100% accurate way to determine if a woman is carrying a DS baby, except chromosomal analysis. This can be done early in the pregnancy by chorionic villus sampling (cells are taken from the placenta) or later by the more traditional method of amniocentesis (cells sloughed off by the fetus are taken from the amniotic fluid). With CVS, there is less danger of infection or risk of injuring the baby during the procedure.

Pro-abortion doctors know this and they also know that some women would hesitate to have a procedure that might injure their unborn child just to test for DS, especially if the women are not well into their thirties. Advocating a test like this for all pregnant women that is much less dangerous and invasive would most likely cause more women to have the test and to consider abortion if the test is abnormal. If the test were used merely as a screening test to determine who really needs to undergo chromosomal analysis, the ethical picture would be less cloudy.

When I was in elementary school, one of my best friends was the oldest daughter of a doctor. He and his wife had three adorable girls and finally were blessed with a son. Mack, as they called him, had Down Syndrome. That was the first time I had ever heard of the condition (called Mongoloidism then), but I will never forget Mack. He was a beautiful, golden-haired, blue-eyed child that at five years old still had to wear a diaper to bed, but he had the sunniest, most pleasing personality of any child I have ever known. This was in the late 1950's so abortion would not have been a legal option had they known of his condition before birth, but all these years later I have no doubt that they would not have wanted to miss the joy that Mack brought to his family and friends.