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Prenatal Test Puts Down Syndrome in Hard Focus
NY Times ^ | May 9, 2007 | AMY HARMON

Posted on 05/08/2007 10:53:50 PM PDT by neverdem

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http://video.on.nytimes.com/index.jsp?fr_story=24a998ee3478834092f8b97b766e46e090541eeb

http://video.on.nytimes.com/index.jsp?fr_story=75b21d45037ddde30bf24171111b1ab53bebc333

Those URLs are for two short videos that came with the story.

1 posted on 05/08/2007 10:53:54 PM PDT by neverdem
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To: Coleus

prenatal testing ping


2 posted on 05/08/2007 10:55:18 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: neverdem
About 90 percent of pregnant women who are given a Down syndrome diagnosis have chosen to have an abortion.

That is a very sad statistic. Hopefully, most of the women who respect life didn't have the test done.

3 posted on 05/08/2007 10:56:05 PM PDT by Sherman Logan (I didn't claw my way to the top of the food chain to be a vegetarian.)
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To: neverdem

It is very sad. Everyone is here for a reason. It is not for us to understand that reason. G-d bless this girl but she probably won’t help change the mindset these doctors learned in med school. A great book on this subject is “Expecting Adam.”


4 posted on 05/08/2007 10:57:09 PM PDT by Yaelle
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To: neverdem
Down syndrome children can live happy normal lives. There is a group that works at the store I work at and they are all very different, but they all enjoy life.
5 posted on 05/08/2007 10:57:55 PM PDT by miliantnutcase
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To: Sherman Logan
Hopefully, most of the women who respect life didn't have the test done.

10% that tested positive obviously respect life. They just wanted to know and be prepared.

6 posted on 05/08/2007 11:11:04 PM PDT by SteveMcKing
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To: neverdem
My first confirmed pregnancy ended in a miscarriage.

My second ended successfully with a son.

My third ended with an emergency c-section, a 30% abruption, in my daughter's 32nd week; thank God, she lived.

My fourth ended in a miscarriage.

During my fifth and final pregnancy, my OB sent me for an extensive sono series. The doctors discovered my son had a 2-vessel umbillical cord; a typical indicator of severe genetic abnormalities. They wanted to do an amniocentisis to determine what was wrong with him. I was already long past prime child bearing age; well into the danger zone, ripe for defects of all kinds.

We refused.

God gave us our son; God gave him life. We already loved him, and would care for him, no matter what his issues were. The answer, for us, was simple.

Despite dire predictions, he arrived in perfect condition; handsome, loving, and smart to boot!

7 posted on 05/08/2007 11:16:46 PM PDT by WriterInTX (TheWriterInTX returns after conquering a Trojan Horse)
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To: WriterInTX

Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your story.


8 posted on 05/08/2007 11:26:33 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: WriterInTX

God Bless you, although I’m sure you understand better than anyone that He already has.


9 posted on 05/08/2007 11:47:05 PM PDT by mkjessup (Jan 20, 2009 - "We Don't Know. Where Rudy Went. Just Glad He's Not. The President. Burma Shave.")
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To: Sherman Logan

My grand nephew has Down’s. My niece had the test, knew in advance what she was facing, and decided to have the baby. He’s simply wonderful, a real treasure to us all. The problems are manageable.

Nothing justifies intentionally killing the innocent!


10 posted on 05/08/2007 11:47:21 PM PDT by CitizenUSA
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To: El Gato; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Robert A. Cook, PE; lepton; LadyDoc; jb6; tiamat; PGalt; Dianna; ...
Doctors Reap Millions for Anemia Drugs

Clean Power That Reaps a Whirlwind

Maybe the NY Times has a subliminal fear of the Grim Reaper? FReepmail me if you want on or off my health and science ping list.

11 posted on 05/09/2007 2:16:06 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: neverdem
She plays clarinet in her school band.

On Tuesday night, our band had their spring concert. Awards were given to the most improved, the best student. One of the students received the percussion award - Dan. He has Down's. His mother had to fight tooth and nail to keep him in the regular school instead of the dreadful Special Ed school in this rural area. All the kids love him and are proud to be in class with his. I can't imagine those that would wish he had been "terminated" would understand the friendships he has.

12 posted on 05/09/2007 2:37:26 PM PDT by myprecious
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To: neverdem

The 90% statistic is shocking, almost equivalent to an attitude of genocide for those judged “unworthies”.

A diagnosis of Down’s syndrome seems like a death sentence in this context. And what if the diagnosis is wrong?


13 posted on 05/09/2007 3:16:43 PM PDT by LurkedLongEnough
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To: neverdem
Thanks for posting this. As the aunt of a very lovable niece with Downs syndrome, I resent the very idea that she is less worthy of life than anyone else.

This is an outrage. I also have an "autistic" grandson. Some would have him aborted. Well, this "undesirable" throwaway is being courted by all the top colleges and universities in the country. He happens to have a genius-level IQ. The world needs more like him--not less.

I'm also active in a Lutherans for Life chapter and we discuss this very issue.

I'd rather live with an Elaine or Adam than a liberal.

14 posted on 05/09/2007 3:32:13 PM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: LurkedLongEnough
what if the diagnosis is wrong?

There is nothing to fear because the evidence is thrown away.

15 posted on 05/09/2007 3:33:12 PM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: WriterInTX
God bless you and your family.

I recall once when my daughter was pregnant with her second daughter, she called sobbing crying saying that a test the doctor had done showed something wrong with the baby.

As it turned out, there was nothing wrong with the baby.

I suppose doctors are between a rock and a hard spot. If they don't do the tests, they're open to "wrongful birth" lawsuits if a defective baby is born and if they do the test which shows a defect that turns out to be false, they're criticized for that, too.

16 posted on 05/09/2007 3:37:43 PM PDT by Conservativegreatgrandma
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To: Conservativegreatgrandma
I suppose doctors are between a rock and a hard spot.

How true!

17 posted on 05/09/2007 4:01:34 PM PDT by neverdem (May you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows that you're dead.)
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To: Conservativegreatgrandma
That is so true! They do the best with the tools available to them, but they are not perfect. No one is.

I guess I don't understand parents who fail to view their children as gifts from God - even if they aren't perfect. There is no guarantee that a perfectly healthy child at birth won't experience an unfortunate accident and suddenly undergo serious health complications or a long-term impairment. Do these folks toss them away, too?

That's what I can't wrap my mind around. Guess I'm just not built that way.

18 posted on 05/09/2007 6:37:56 PM PDT by WriterInTX (TheWriterInTX returns after conquering a Trojan Horse)
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To: neverdem

A little over a year and half ago, we were told we might have a DS baby on the way thanks to these test. Today we have a completely heathly and vibrant little one year old girl.

Thanks to God Almighty.


19 posted on 05/09/2007 6:40:44 PM PDT by The South Texan (The Drive By Media is America's worst enemy and American people don't know it.)
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To: CitizenUSA

AFAIK, there is no way to tell, with current testing, how severe the Downs will be. Some folks with Downs live a pretty normal life. The testing, even if just to help the parents prepare, isn’t necessarily a good thing.


20 posted on 05/10/2007 7:06:11 AM PDT by iceskater
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